The Devils Name is Arkham: Part 1
by Dresner1817
Summary: In the mists of the Joker's take over of Arkham Asylum, a team of Mercenaries must help the Batman in his retaking of Arkham, but greed divides them and their sanity. Harley's mind is just as divided as the mercs and so is her heart. Will she give up her life as Harley Quinn for Batman, will her bad side foil it all, or the unexpected? BatmanxHarley R&R Based off Game
1. Prologue

_**Alright everyone, I've been having some writers block on In The Grey since I've been drawing Idea's for new OC's along with making a story that is based on one canon character. I've chosen Harley Quinn for this and the Arkham Series because of the beauty of it's story and how they really brought out some of the best out of the characters of the Batman series. **_

_**To sum it up, I hope this will get some of my ideas running as well as give some new OC's to work with. **_

_**Note: This Story will have the conflict of Harley Quinn wanting to go back to a normal life, Her conflicting relationship with the Joker and Batman, as well as the conflict of her normal self (Harleen Quinzel) and Her crazy self (Harley Quinn). The language that my OC's Allen Vorster and Johannes Goosen speak is Afrikaans and I use some Afrikanner slang as well. **_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

_**Two Day's before the Take over of Arkham Asylum-**_

Harley Quinn sat in her cell awaiting for her meal before laying down for bed. Old Sharpie was pressing the prisoners hard today on trying to finish the tearing down one of the old buildings to improve the grounds of the Asylum for review by the mayor soon. She was tired and starving for something other than gruel. Luckily she managed to make friends with one of the new advisers for the Arkham guards, a five man team called '9th Company'.

A cheerful whistle followed by the calm verses of a Afrikaner folk song echoed peacefully through the cell block as a signal that her favorite Boer was coming to bring her something nicer than a plate of gruel.

_'De la Rey, De la Rey. __sal jy die Boere kom lei?'_ The South African Boer sang with a good hearten tone. _'De La Rey, De La Rey. _Generaal, generaal. _soos een man, sal ons om jou val. _Generaal De La Rey." ____

Harley didn't understand a word the tall and dark headed Afrikaner was saying, but it sounded wonderful to her ears and it took her mind off of the Asylum. That and the sight of Dark Knight every once in a while. From her cell force field she could see a Average height Boer, White South African, with long Goatee style beard and black hair. He was a blue eyed like Bruce Wayne and wore a kind smile just like him, but instead of a presentation on Philanthropy and a brief case in hand. The twenty seven year old Allen 'Reggie' Vorster instead presented her with a plate of beef tips, rice, and white bread with a flask and a Saiga-12KS Shotgun on his back. Allen and Harley went to school together in Brooklyn, New York, when they were in their teens when Allen was in Foreign exchange. They became close friends in the year that he spent in the states, but after he left they lost contact after Harleen became Harley. He was like a brother to her and always gave her a some form of understanding, but he did not condone her actions or let himself forget that she was a criminal. But he couldn't forget that she too was human under the regressive behavior, the face paint, and the blood of the innocent still fresh on her hands even after the decontamination chamber and cold showers.

Her jumpsuit was dirty and her hair was filled with knots from a hard days work in the August sun. When the sun ever appeared over Gotham it always made sure to bring a heat wave or at least a few prisoners to the medical ward with heat stroke. Allen's skin was nearly Orange from all the time he spent outside in the South African sun and the Gotham heatwave only made him darker as well as burning the frames of his Costa Del Mar sunglasses into his face when ever he forgot to wear his slouch hat. The farmer's tan on his chest was curtsy of the combat vest/body armor and the OD green 'Wife beater' tank top under it. His Flecktarn woodland pants and combat boots were stained with mud from patrolling along side the guards this morning. He too was tired and looking to get some rest as much as she did. But Harley didn't mind the company since they moved Ivy to the extreme isolation chamber and Joker escaped three days ago. She need someone to talk to, to maybe call a friend once again.

"What are ya sing'en Reggie?" Harley asks in a tired and happy tone to her old friend as he let down the shield.

"De la Rey is the name of the song, It's a folk song about the Boer wars." He told her as he sat down with her on the floor and handed her the late of beef tips with rice and bread along with a flask of wine. "But enough of the past, here it's the best I could muster."

"It's better than gruel or the shit Ivy eats!" She said with glee as she ate her beef tips and rice with a child like smile. Allen only smiled and took sips of the flask until handing it to Harley. "Good stuff, _nè?"_

"Uhh, yeah!" Harley responded as she took a sip of the wine and gave a groan. "Bleh! What is this?!"

"Red wine from Orleans, from what the Frenchman told me." Allen told her with slight delight at her dramatic response as he referred to his combat medic, Jean-Baptiste 'Froggy' Astor. "Not bad for you or the heart. But a little weak for me. I would think you would be a wine drinker."

"To broke, but my puddin needs the money for our wedding once we knock off the bat." Harley said with a chuckle as she handed back the flask.

"Joker, eh?." Allen said in an uncomfortable tone. "And married? To him? Harleen I have to say you could do a little better than some clown-"

Harley slapped Allen across the face and threw the plate at him in a vexed rage, "DON'T TALK ABOUT MY JOKER LIKE THAT YOU CREEP! We're gunna get married and live happily ever after once we off da bat and blow this joint to pieces! Your just jealous since you ain't gotta a gal like me on yo arm!"

"That's enough Quinn." A low growl came from the open door where the Dark Knight stood next to a built man of about clean shaven thirty or thirty five with clean cut black hair. The was wearing a black turtle neck, Vektor R5 (South African Carbine copy of the Gaili) on his back, Bandoleer across his chest, Grey combat pants over a pair of Black combat boots, and a eye patch covering his left eye. This was Allen's commander, Johannes 'Johann' Goosen, another Afrikaner from South East Africa.

"_Ag man, _Are you _b__efok?" _Johann exclaimed as he waltzed into the cell and drug him out before Harley could smack him around more. "That _cullis _could have knocked you out and took that fancy shooter of yours to a disco. Remember, she's the crazy one not you. Got me?"

Johann was almost a brother to Allen and always made sure the young lad kept his head in any situation. The two stuck together a lot and no one blamed Allen for it since Johann was the most experienced member of the 9th Company along with Sean 'Magic' Disney, Sniper and twenty year veteran of the 9th Company, and Edward 'Khaki' Price, Support gunner and ten year veteran of the 9th company and the British SAS. Allen was a green horn, F.N.G, a new guy since he joined with Coldwater International, One of the worlds leading Private Military Contracting firms in the world, four months ago in May. Since then he has only seen light duty with the 9th Company in the form of training Arkham Guards in the art of riot suppression and tactical response, Nothing in the realm of swashbuckling and romance that the mercenary life would bring to mind.

"_Ja-Nee._" Allen replied in a monotone voice as he looked over to Harley with pity.

"Great, Now if you excuse us Batman. Me and _China _here are going to the chow hall with the rest of'em for grub. Care to join us? Sharpie is bring'en some roasted pig and a few _dop _too." Johann offered in a friendly tone. But Batman refused.

"Leave me with Quinn and I'll be on my way." The dark knight growled in his usually dark and melancholy tone.

Johann looked into the eyes of the bat and the bat into the eye of the Afrikaner. Both set of eyes had a story to tell, but weren't to keen on sharing it. Both told a struggle and both on a path that might lead to the very end of each others existence. But they held a mutual respect for one another as men, as all good men do, and they gave a nod to each other before Johann departed the intensive treatment center's cell block.

Batman narrowed his gaze toward the Harlequin as he closed in toward her. "Where is he Quinn?" He growls. His figure towered over her like a black cloud over her only source of light in the dark cell. Harley was scared, but she had faced the bat, and to an extent the Joker, multiple times over and she learned to hide her fear.

"Who Bats?" She says tacky tone like a child. "Two-face? Penguin? Bane? Fuck if I know where those bozo's are and like I-"

His arm swooped from the darkness with out warning and latched itself around Harley's neck with a vise like grip. The strong arms of the veteran crime fight had no trouble picking the athletic built girl that Harley was and neither did it play on his conscience as he slammed her against the wall.  
"I don't have time for this Quinn." The Dark Knight said forcefully as he slammed her against the wall once more to get his point across. "Talk. Now."

"It's on the tip of my tongue!" She said defiantly with a smug grin as Batman's grip grew tighter. "Ya hold'en back bats? Mister J hits me hard and he loves me, and all you do is hold back and hate me? What's the deal?"

Harley didn't struggle in his hand, which some what surprised him, but instead of fighting back with her usual childish banter she actually said something that made him think. Why was he holding back on her?

"I don't like to rep-"

"Do you hate me bats?" Harley asked in a sly tone similar to the Joker mixed with the old Harleen he use to know. "Do you hate me just like you Hate my Joker? Or maybe you got the same twisted connection that my Joker has with you? What is it B-man? What makes you tick-toc and walk eh?"

A word was not uttered from the cowl neither an expression nor a scowl... A sign of weakness appeared in his blank expression and Harley smirked slightly until she was thrown across the room, smacking against the wall and landing on her bed. The bat stormed out of the cell without a word.

Harley chuckled to herself with delight at her victory, she knew she struck a cord with the big bad bat. But in truth, it was a risky victory. With the Joker she could predict his movements when she struck a cord, or a feeling, with the Joker and prepared herself for it physically. With Batman it was...

Strange... It was...

Different...

Batman always brought out the worst in her, but yet it also brought out her old self on some occasions.

She was more intelligent than people ever gave her credit for, a little bit sharper than met the eye, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Harleen didn't earn her 4.0 grade point average with just her looks and blue eyes her intelligence one her the day in school. That was before Harley came out of her mind with a smile and handful of thermite. Harley wasn't the most intelligent person in the world, nor was she the most stable or sane one. Harleen diagnosed herself with split personality disorder at some point during her internship for Hugo Strange in Blackgate five years ago during her first encounter with the Joker. At that time she found that their was almost two different people living with in her own body: A woman who wanted to make a life of her own away from the bleakness of her home of Brooklyn and the sickness of Gotham and then a girl who wanted to escape it all in some child like dream. She couldn't fight the girl inside of her because she was feed by the crushing loneliness she encountered in Blackgate.

Then she met the Joker and soon the woman faded away into the darkness of her confused mind. Then Harleen became Harley...

'Nothing is as cruel as a memory.' The voice of the Joker echoed in her mind. "_The truth hurts..._" She replied in her calm and mature voice of Harleen Quinzel.

"But Mista J will make it all better!" The bubbly and always playful side of her replied with a slight giggle as she rolled over into the fetal position on her bed. Laughing and crying herself to sleep as two sides of her battled one another for the first time in five years.


	2. Chapter 1: The Clown

_**Chapter 1 everyone! I hope you enjoyed the prologue and the new spin on Harley Quinn! I must stress that's not a multipersonality disorder gimmick like Two-Face but more of like it's her conscience talking to her. I call it Harleen and her current state Harley so then I can make a distention.**_

_**R&amp;R my friends!**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

"Oi! Reggie boy." The cheery voice of Sean 'Magic' Disney called to Allen as he lay awake in his cot in the guard station above the intensive treatment screening tunnel. Allen turned over to see Sean approaching him with a cigarette in his mouth like he always has.

Sean Disney joined Coldwater after bailing him out of a British prison for the crime of killing thirty British soliders in North Ireland with the IRA with an old World War One Mauser rifle in the winter of 2011, three years ago, and earned a reputation for disappearing almost like magic. The nickname Magic also fit perfectly with his last name of Disney, no relational to Walt Disney, as he started leaving little Micky Mouse and Donald Duck figure at his positions to toy with the British army and police. Then his luck ran out when he pulled the trigger on the Police commissioner in North Ireland and a counter sniper team shot him in the stomach. Sean survived and was taken to a British prison where he was convicted for treason against the British nation. But Coldwater saw his skills as invaluable to any mission and soon bailed him out of prison, sharpened his skills at a Russian based Sniper school, and sent him out into the world as a gun for hire. A tale, mutton chopped, and chuckled filled Belfast born Sean Disney was a confident and deadly sniper. Sean wore a black BDU tunic, Tiger striped camouflage fatigue pants, Black face paint, combat boots, green and black shemagh scarf rapped around his neck, Black beret, and a GOL Sniper Rifle on his back.

The Irishman snaps his fingers in front of his face, "Reggie boy, Pull up your socks! The bloody clown is here and his bird is gone. Shite might get a little arseways so be wide, grab your shooter, and bring your courage. God knows we need a lot of with the sorry lot down their." Sean said in his cheery voice, but with a serious tone as he pointed at the jumpy Arkham guards as they trained their weapons on the restrained Joker as they escorted him through the tunnel. Batman was close to Joker, Sign that things might get a little rough from the way Sean sounded.

"Are you two done fiddling about?" The proper English voice of Edward 'Khaki' Price said from the door way.

"Aye Khaki," Allen replied using his nickname, a derogatory name for Englishmen by the Afrikaners. "What's the Irishman talking about this time? Is Harley gone?"

"Not sure at this moment, But what I am certain of is the nefarious miscreant known as 'The Joker' is in the proper hands of the Arkham authorities." Edward replied.

Edward Price was an awkward looking figure of about 5.5 clad in a dark Khaki jump suit with hood over his head, black combat gear, combat boots, balaclava covering the bottom of his face from the nose down, grey British flag embroiled on his shoulders, and holding a FN MAG machine gun by the pistol grip with the gun resting firmly across his shoulder. Belts of ammo were draped around his neck and ammo boxes strung from his combat webbing. It was a combat load that would bring even the strongest of men to a wheezing halt, but not Price. Under the blue jumpsuit was a firm build ox formed from the most grueling training course that the British Empire could create for one of the world's most elite fighting forces: The Special Air Service, Or SAS for short.  
Edward came from a rather well off and well to do family in London until he joined the British Army against his fathers wishes. Being a wealthy man and apart of high society he told his son time and time again to Join either the Royal Navy or The Royal Air force due to the prestige of it's Officers and it's status as 'exceptional' among his inner circle at the local country club. But being hard head just like his father, Edward joined the British Army in 1998 and soon was selected for training in the British parachute regiment where he earned the rank of lieutenant after Operation Barras in Sierra Leone in May 2000. His valor, bravery, and over all fearlessness brought the attention of the Special Air Service.  
Two years of grueling training molded Edward into a fine tool for war and after his honorable discharge from the armed services, Edward joined Coldwater International to further his skills and make a little money of his own. Raised a gentleman with the Heart of a lion, Edward can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. His skills with his MAG earned him good marks with Commander Goosen, but even the hard boiled commander couldn't help but throw a few slurs at a former master of his former home of South Africa. Johann, along with the other three members of the 9th Company, called him Khaki after the color of his jump suit as well as the old slur that Allen and Johann knew back home.

"In other words boyo, We better get a move on before those Eejit's muck up this milk run." Sean translated crudely as he handed Allen his Saiga-12 and his slouch hat.

"_Ja_." Allen confirmed as he threw on his webbing, hat, and took his gun. The three took the stairs down to the doors where they saw Mr. Aaron Cash spitting back at the Joker's taunts. Near by was Commander Johannes Goosen with their medic, Frenchman Jean-Baptiste 'Froggy' Astor, as they spoke lightly with Aaron Cash about the whereabouts of Harley Quinn.

Johann saw the trio out of the corner of his eye and broke conversation with Cash for a second to give an order to accompany the escort team and Batman to the holding cells. The three gave a nod and began to join up with the Arkham guards and Batman to escort the Joker.

"Lookie here!" The Joker exclaimed with glee and laughter, "Don't you three look so tough and macho! Your making batsy here a little jealous with those BIG guns of yours! Hahaha!"

Allen smirked a little, but Sean only scowled and Edward didn't respond and kept walking with weapons at the ready if the Joker pulled a fast one. After a lengthy walk down the corridors of the intensive treatment center the trio began to chat a little to break the droning of Sharp's usual speech on how the criminals will not escape the Asylum.

"What made you join Coldwater mate?" Sean asked Allen in a friendly tone.

"Things got a little hot in Cape Town, my birth place, and I had to leave the Fatherland." Allen told him with a sigh as he remembered his beautiful homeland.

"Kill a prostitute? Gawk at Mandala's corpse without shedding a tear? Or all the above?" Sean chuckled and so did Allen.

"Nothing really, But thing's just became unbearable around the country even before he keeled over. After he passed it just got worse so I left and joined with Coldwater. What about you Magic?" Allen replied.

"Ex-IRA, use to build bombs and shoot wankers who stepped into my country." Sean said proudly until Edward gave a loud cough.

"Then your luck ran out once MI-5 traced one of your Blataut figures back to the cheeky bastard who calls himself 'Magic' and his last name is Disney. Rather obvious especially for the little humor you have." Edward said with a scowl.

"Took you long enough to find me in that barn their Khaki, Mister MI- whatever and god save the fokken Queen." Sean said with a harsh tone.

"Don't get your nickers in a bunch Irishman, just be glad you were caught by a professional and not a rozzer." Edward reminded him arrogantly when he brought a stop to Sean's sniping crusade.

"A professional wanker employed by a Tool to suppress the freedom of the people to resist. This time was different in that you couldn't just pay us off with your worthless pounds!" Sean replied in a truthful and harsh tone. "The only reason why the IRA ever back off in the 90's is because you paid us off and the red's running it just turned over on their backs with out a word said. You just can't keep blokes like me from fighting the good fight, no matter how much you pay out the nose for it."

Edward only scoffed and ignored Sean's rantings as they came to the medical adviser at the gate nearing the elevator to the holding cells. The doctor examined the Joker closely and reported the usual cracked ribs and other batman related wounds. But Allen wasn't watching the Joker as he should have been and drew his attention to the odd looking prisoners being escorted away on the other side of the hallway.

"Hey, My _bru_," Allen said, nudging Sean to the strange prisoners being escorted down the hall. "Who are those guys? Blackgate _domkop's_ right?"

"Aye." Sean replied calmly. "Don't worry about those-"

The maniacal laughter of the Joker broke his train of thought as the guards became jumpier and more nervous as they brandished their weapons at him. "NEED TO TAKE MY TEMPERATURE DOC?! I'll be happy to drop my pants." The Joker chuckled madly at the Doctor.

"Get him out of here." The Doctor growled at the guards as the Joker's taunting laughter echoed through the asylum. The doors opened as the pre-recorded voice of the asylum gave the guards the Shoot to Kill permissions and pacification systems were active. The elevators wench wined and screamed in agony as a heavy and foul smelling load came from the bowels of the Intensive treatment center...

"CROC OLD BOY!? IS THAT YOU?!" The Joker shouted gleefully as the elevator came to a halt and the mammoth hulk of leather skin and swamp land known as Killer croc appeared in all of his gruesome cannibalistic glory.

Croc lifted his disfigured and crocodile like snout into the air and took a long whiff of the air before narrowing his eyes toward batman. "I've got your scent BATMAN!" He groaned before the collar around his neck shocked him into complacency. "RIP OUT YOUR HEART! EAT YOUR BONES!" The beast snarled as the guards found the nerve to do their jobs. The beast's feet shook the ground with every step until he entered the other room. The trio walked forward with Batman and the Joker, but Boles stopped them.

"Go with Croc's detail and make sure that monster doesn't eat another one of my boys." He ordered.

"Like hell we are you motherless gobshite." Sean responded, "We're coming with you frankey boy."

Boles shoved the barrel of his G-36 into Sean's face, "GO. WITH. CROC." He repeated, his breath thick with whisky and bourbon.

"Can't hold the demon drink can ya frank?" Sean smirked as he put his rifle on his back and brushed Frank's rifle away from his face. Sean got into Frank's scared face with a light little smirk, "Do you believe in god franky? I hope you do, but if you don't I would love to teach ya the good word. Starting with the Holy Trinity." A quick strike across Boles face followed by a quick kidney strike followed in the wake of Sean's words and careful footwork. Boles rifle fell to the ground and was kicked across the floor by Edward who kept Allen at a distance as they enjoyed Sean's show with Boles. "Footwork, timing, and hitting! And a little bit of dirty work. Learn these, my uncle'd say, and you'll inherit the Earth as surely as the meek." Sean said as he threw Boles to the ground and retrieved his rifle from the other side of the room. Sean returned to Boles to pick him off the ground and shoved the rifle in arms. "Now for god's sake clean yourself up, Not even your ma could love that mug."

Sean rejoined with Edward and Allen, Edward giving a disapproving glare. Sean just smirks, "What are ya gawken at Khaki?"

"Boles." Edward replied in an indifferent and contemplating tone, "I don't trust the man."

"Who would trust a wanker like'em?" Allen replied to which Sean chuckled and Edward nodded.

"At least that's something me and Khaki here can agree on." Sean remarked as the three mercenaries waltzed down the Corridor to watch over Killer Croc.

* * *

"_Monsieur_ Cash?" Astor asked in a polite tone of voice.

"Yeah Froggy?" Aaron Cash responds by calling Astor by his nickname, which insults him.

"Have you any idea of the where about of this Harlequin Johannes speaks of?" Astor asked, biting his tongue from cursing out the American.

"You mean Harley Quinn? Nah, she escaped yesterday and some of the prisoners say she skipped town. Sharp isn't to worried though his prize is the Joker." Cash told him as Johann, Astor, and himself exited the Intensive treatment building and into the darkness of the night.

"Warden Sharp is more concerned with his political ambitions than I could have thought then." Johann remarked as the cold night air graced his face.

"Dire quoi?" Astor asked curiously.

"Isn't it obvious to you Jean?" Johann asked his french comrade. "If _die nar _is cured of his ailments of the mind then Warden Sharp can use that as a floor for his political aspirations in that city." Their eyes drew to the bleeding wound that was Gotham city just across the bridge. The light of the city seemed to be contained by the shadows of the monolithic towers of the front gate leading into Arkham Isle.

"The city is filth." Astor remarked Sharply.

"Indeed, but it seems Oi' Sharpie has his own agenda for this pit." Johann replied as he pulled cigar from his pocket along with a lighter. The cigar was a special blend from South Africa and one of Johann's favorites. "As Khaki would say 'The best of British to him."

"Monsieur Sharp is going to need more than just _Le Clown _cured. What about his _prostituée, _Harley Quinn?"

Johann ran the cigar under his nose to take in the scent of fresh premium tobacco before placing it in his mouth and lighting it promptly. After a couple of long, deep, puffs he turned to Astor and replied, "Simple, We'll give her three ways out. I believe you know what they are my French friend."

Astor nodded at the grave statement of his commander. As an EX-GIGN, National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, to here of the Three way method is always a cold and stark reminder of what occupation he picked for himself in life. The Three ways were simple:

1): Their captured.

2): Their killed.

3): They Kill themselves.

But for this girl, it was either the Company, Police, or the Batman gets her. Death not being an option for either side, but for Johann it seemed to be an Idea. Jean-Baptiste Astor hailed from Caen, France, and was once a simple medical officer in the GIGN until his Honorable discharge after ten years of service to the GIGN and to France. Astor came to Coldwater International as first a medical intern until a patient came into his medical tent during Coldwater's deployment in Libya three years ago, Johannes Goosen. Astor preformed the operation that gave Johann his trademark eye patch and since then he has served as his personal doctor and field medic for his unit. Astor was a quiet and polite man with a thick blonde Goat-T that matched his thick blonde hair. A blue jumpsuit with a black Combat vest with the name 'GIGN' on his back reminded him, and everyone around him, of his status as a Police man, A white armband with a red cross on his left and right arms, Black beanie, combat boots, and police style combat belt made his uniform. A Bizon Submachine gun was slung on his side along with a medical satchel as well. Jean wasn't the most social of the group, but would help anyone in need of attention. After all it was his job. But Astor never approved of killing anyone, even in self defense.

"I've got some business to attend to in the medical ward. If you need any help, just ring me on the radio." Cash informed Johann and Astor before departing. Johann only nodded and continued to look on into the lights of Gotham City with Astor at his side to finish his cigar.

"A rather peaceful night don't you think sir?" Astor asked Johann in a somewhat cheery tone.

"Enjoy the peace while you can Jean." Johann said as drop the cigar and extinguished it with his boot. "Peace can be hell."

* * *

Harley propped her feet up and fixed the skirt on her new naughty nurse outfit she bought before returning to Arkham. With Bane sedated, Joker in Arkham, and Boles in position. Harley awaited patiently for the signal from the Joker to start the 'Party'.

She flipped her pony tails in a giddy flurry of joy and anticipation for her puddin's return to Arkham. She hummed a child like tune as she watched the monitors as Joker and Batman rode the elevator down to the Holding cells.

'Mhmmm..' She thought to herself as she switched channels to Allen and his two comrades as they aided the escorting of Killer Croc.

_"You know he use to care about us, But not anymore."_ The voice of Harleen, her good side reminded her. _"Even the bat some what cares about us. Why are we back here? You know this will all go to hell in a matter of hours. We both know that..."_

"SHUT UP!" Harley scowled out loud as she kicked the button on the television back to Batman and Joker. She gave a dreamy sigh as she circled the Joker with her finger, but she kept looking over to Batman with the same dreamy expression.

_"You can't shut me up kid, I'm you before you took over. Before HE took over!"_

"Who? Batsy?" Harley thought to herself.

_"Ugh, no! The clown! The fucking bozo who made you into a reality!"_

"If it wasn't for that bat we would be happy together, but he makes my puddin go crazy. When we whack batsy then me and mister J will get married and... And..."

_"And what? Live life as a clown... What about if he gets tired of us? What if he gets rid of us like Bud and Lou?"_ Harleen bit back, hitting a cord with Harley as the memory of Joker shooting her 'Babies' in cold blood.

The Joker's face expanded on screen and the code phrase uttered from his sickening voice broke every once of punch that Harleen's statement had to offer. "Honey! I'm home!"

"Come on in!" Harley shouted as she knocked over the first domino in the Joker's master plan.

_"What have you done Harley?"_ Harleen asked in horror.

"Kicked off the party!" Harley replied gleefully.


	3. Chapter 2: Breakout

_**ALRIGHT boys and girls! Now we get into some action scenes and a couple of more wonderful moments. Now this won't be a retelling of Arkham Asylum. There'll be some changes to the story as well as some smut toward the end. But it's going to be rich with awesome! **_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

Croc was released into his sewer prison with out trouble. The presence of the three mercenaries and their high grade weapons, and armor piercing bullets, eased the nerves of the Arkham guards. Allen, Edward, and Sean took an elevator back to the surface with the intention of rejoining their commander and field medic for a poker game with the guards or maybe a couple of drinks before going on a search for Harley Quinn if she was still on Arkham Isle.

Frantic calls on the radio signaled a change of plans as they reached the half way mark on their way back to the surface. "Joker's escaped and he's taken over of Arkham.." One of the guards said in a grave tone.

They readied their weapons in anticipation of the worse and prepared themselves mentally and physically, or at least the harden Mercenaries did. The Arkham guards could only shiver in fear under their riot helmets and quiver in their steel toed boots.

Allen on the other hand could only clear his mind as he reached into his vest pocket for a flask of Astor's wine for a shot a courage. Sean smirked at Allen's shot of courage remarking with the smart remark of "You keep your heart in a bottle don't cha Mate?"

Allen shook his head and offered the some to Edward and him, but the refused. "Let your instincts take over son. They'll never lead you a stray." Edward reassured him as he loaded a belt of 7-6-2 into his MAG 58.

"Neither will the Belgians." Sean snickered as he drew his side arm, A Belgian Browning Hi-Power pistol, and loaded a magazine of hollow points. "You better load some buckshot or double ought buck for this one. If my hunch is right then where gonna need plenty of boom sticks." The Irishman said in a gravely serious tone.

"True that Brother." Allen agreed as he loaded a fresh eight round clip of Heavy deer slug into his Saiga as the door open to the Intensive treatment center opened to the sight of fifteen Blackgate thugs standing off with three Arkham guards cowering near the door with their rifles.

"Come at us pigs! I'll make you my bitch!" The thugs harassed and howled at the guards. The prisoners of blackgate appeared like a group of tribal or mongol raiders, half naked with a mixture of tattoo's and piercings all over their bodies. The door opened to the surprise of the Arkham guards on the other side as they fell over on the floor at the feet of the Mercenaries.

"Hands up you sorry lot!" Sean shouted as he brandished his pistol at the Blackgate hoard. The hoard only responded with swears and middle fingers, "YOU AIN'T GOT THE BALLS TO STOP US!" Some responded and three charged at Sean.

A quick burst of machine gun fire from Edward saved Sean from mutilation at the hands of the hoard. "Now gentlemen I will not repeat what my Irish colleague has state to you." Edward told them in a calm and proper tone as he leveled his MAG 58 at the hoard with his hand firmly gripped on the bipod and firmly placed against his hip.

"What will it be gents? Are you gonna get down or lay down?" Allen added as Sean and himself took the flanks around Edward, bolstering their fire power by two fold with the addition of Arkham Guards. The prisoners looked at one another nervously until the image of Harley Quinn came over one of the monitors screaming "GET'EM BOYS!"

Ear piecing howls, screams, and shouts broke the air with in the Asylum as the prisoners charged forward in a suicidal attempt to muscle over the guards to further the plan of the Joker... But they didn't count on the resolve of the Mercenaries before them...

The rhythmic roar of the MAG 58 turned the charging hoard into cord wood, stacking their bodies on top of one another with no trouble. The heavy rounds of the machine gun turned those closest into hamburger or chopped meat with the help of the buckshot from Allen's shotgun. With in seconds the hoard was turned into nothing but another smug on the record of Arkham Asylum. Blood douched the walls and floor, as did the brain and bone mater of the prisoners, around them. The Arkham guards looked around at the hellish sight that stood just past the cold blooded mercenaries.

"Why the fuck did you do that!? We're not suppose to kill these guys! They could have surrendered!" One of the guards exclaimed in horror.

Edward only responded by changing the Barrel of his machine gun and Sean by giving a thankful nod to Edward for saving his ass. Allen reassured the guard that their was no other choice, after all they were out numbered and the guards would have faced the same fate as the prisoners that laid before them. But the guard protested once more but was met by an angry Sean Disney.

"This isn't a game boyo! This isn't about morals or doing whats right, it's about survival. If you wish to survive this hellhole then find your brain, dig out some courage, and scavenge ammunition when ever possible." Sean warned the guard as he picked up a magazine off the ground from one of the scared guards and shoved it against the cowards chest, "You may run out of bullets, but you'll never run out of enemies mate."

With those words Edward, Allen, and Sean broke away from the Arkham staff to aid the others in the Cell block. They entered the elevator and informed Commander Johannes on the situation.

"Sir! The Joker has escaped and has announced his take over via the PA system. What are our orders?" Allen asked Johann via headset radio.

"Aid Commissioner Gordon in the Cell Block and prep him for Exfiltration from Arkham, If the Joker is escaping this shithole then he'll kill anyone who gets in his way." Johann ordered. "Once he's out of here, regroup at the medical ward for further orders. Copy?"

"_Ja Sir!" _Allen and the other two replied as the elevator slowly began to descend down into toward the Holding cells.

* * *

_**Meanwhile outside the Intensive treatment Center...**_

Johann and Astor readied their weapons at the door of the intensive treatment ward for breaching.

"Your never wrong sir." Astor told Johann.

"It's troubling at times _bru._" Johann replied grimly as he loaded a fifty round magazine into his R5 as they prepped themselves at the door. "Shoot to kill my _bru."_

Astor gave him a troubled look as he cocked his Bizon. "I know your not keen on what's ahead my friend, but we got to do it." Johann reassured him.

"I know, but still. Their could be another way to avoid this." Astor told him.

"Not with the Joker Jean." Johann replied. "With him it always ends with death."

"War breeds war and death only brings death sir." Astor reminded him with a quote from H.G Wells.

Johann only smirked until he was interrupted by the panicked cries of Dr. Young on the radio. "Somebody help! The prisoners are taking over the medical ward! I need help! Respond! Someone please!"

"Break- This is Commander Johannes Goosen of the 9th Company! What is your 20?" Johann responded in a firm tone.

"Medical ward! In my office! Help me please!" She pleaded as the two began to make their way to the Medical ward to rescue Doctor Young.

* * *

_**Inside the Cell Block...**_

Allen took point and found Gordon and Boles in the officer looking over the holding cells. "_Aweh! _Found them!" Allen called to his brothers as the brought up the rear.

"Who the hell are you three?" Gordon exclaimed at the sight of the heavily armed mercs.

"9th Company." Allen told him. "We're here to get you off of Arkham before shit hits the fan."

But before Gordon could reply, Boles interjected by telling him that Victor Zsasz has broken out of his cell and taken a guard hostage in the pacification chamber. "Can't handle a wanker with a blade can ya franky?" Sean teased as he and Edward went after Zsasz. Allen voted to stay with Boles and Gordon if more Blackgate thugs show up.

"Right then, Sean and I will go after Zsasz. Come along then Sean, I don't want that freak of nature taking another innocent life!" Edward said with gallant hast as he took the lead out of the door. But Sean stayed back for a moment to warn Allen, "Watcha back with this one, I don't like'em." He whispered before taking off after Edward.

Allen nodded and turned his attention to Gordon and asked where did the batman go. Gordon only pointed toward the long hallway leading down toward the passivization chamber. "After Zsaz, but I think he already has it covered." Gordon replied with a confident smile. "He always does."

"Are sure on this one? We just mowed down fifteen thugs after they charged us." Allen informed him. "These guys have no reason to live anymore and what makes you think that Batman is going to stop them?"

"Batman has it covered, no question about it."

"Not this time pal." Boles replied as he struck both Allen and Gordon, knocking them out as two more thugs showed up to help carry them to the security room where Harley Quinn awaited for them.

* * *

_**Moments later, Security Office-**_

Allen's head was throbbing from the clubbing and found himself bound with hand cuffs in a wheelchair next to Gordon and Warden Sharp in the same bondage. Blackgate thugs stood around them with death in their eyes and guns in hand as a blonde bimbo in a slutty nurse outfit talking to a monitor with the Joker.

"Mista J! Mista J! I got the commish and one of those mean ol' mercs for ya too!" The blonde said in a distinct Brooklyn accent in a cheery and childish voice as she kissed the screen.

"Good work my little mince! Now, get the commissioner and Sharpie out of the treatment center before batsy shows up! We have a lot of work to get this party started my dear!" The voice of the Joker informed her with sickening laughter. "Right away Mista J!" She said as she kissed the screen once more before turning to Allen and Gordon.

"Oh Hiya Reggie!" She said in a cheery tone as she waltzed over to him and hugged him. "Did Franky here hurt you? Well if he did then he had to, Mister J doesn't like pigs does he boys?"

The thugs shook their heads and nodded like trained dogs to her childish remarks to Allen.

"Who... The FUCK... Are you?" Allen demanded in a daze as he tried to get his mind right.

"I'm hurt Reggie!" The girl exclaimed as she smacked him across the face. "It's me! Harley Quinn!" She said as she made a circle to show off her new outfit to him before taking a seat in his lap. "How ya like my new uniform? Pretty hot eh?"

Allen didn't speak, but his eyes said enough for Harley as she struck him with another hook to the jaw and knocking him out just like Gordon. She stood up and fixed her skirt before barking orders at the thugs to take Allen and Gordon to the Medical ward and Sharpie to the Joker because it was time for her 'Me Time.'

The thugs left promptly to do what she said under threat of being killed or mutilated by the Joker. But Harley stayed back for a brief moment to watch the monitors to see Batman running down the halls after Gordon. "Damn! He found a trail!" She cursed to herself as she watched him head toward the elevator. "I better show off a little for Batsy before he crashes the party." She said out loud in a flirty and giddy voice as she cartwheeled out of the room toward the elevator shaft leading down toward the cell block.

* * *

_**Moments later- **_

Harley watched from above as Batman stood at the bottom of the elevator shaft near an Arkham guard. She couldn't make out what they were saying, it didn't mater to Harley. She dropped down and stretched out and around one of the cables with a detonator in her hand. "Nah uh ah B-man! Mister J doesn't want cha following us just yet." She taunted him.

For a brief second before she pressed the button atop the detonator. In that moment, she could feel a bit of her better half, Harleen, rear her head once more, She didn't say a thing. But only gave a long gaze into Batman's eyes. It seemed to last ages to the sane half as she looked deep into the dark eyes of Batman. She let out a scream from with in the depths of her mind, but no sound came out of the Harlequins mouth. Thought his eyes she could hear another voice screaming for her as well... A voice that she could never forget... A voice of love...

In the depths of Bruce's mind, soul, and past the hard stoic armor of batman he could see a faint spark of good in the eyes of Harley Quinn. He recognized the sparkle in her eyes and could almost hear the desperate screams of Harleen Quinzel beyond the face paint and revealing attire. Beyond it all he still saw the Harleen he met in a hotel bar just days before he first fought the Joker over five years ago. Even then she was still beautiful, still full of life, still wanting to make a difference in this dark world they lived in...

Even as Harley Quinn her beauty remained, still bursting with life, and still wanting to make a difference, albeit wanting to burn Gotham to the ground. She was still Harleen Quinzel and Bruce hadn't forgotten that after all these years fighting against her and the clown, One of the reasons why he ever asked her to surrender, to work with him, and in some cases to take it ease on her.

Harley was still human under the make up, the skimpy outfits, the childish taunts, and even under her flirting with the Joker...

The bombs detonated and sent the elevator crashing down toward the dark knight and Harley soaring into the air on its counter weight as she laugh manically. He saved the guard before the elevator crushed him to death, but he couldn't help but curse himself for not grabbing her when he had the change.

At that time Sean Disney and Edward Price appeared from behind. "Oi Batman! You seen Reggie?" Sean asked him in his thick Irish twang.

"Who?" Batman replied.

"The bloke in the slouch hat and the saiga!" Edward replied as he took a breath. Batman responded by telling them that Boles kidnapped him and Gordon and took them to Harley Quinn. Sean and Edward responded with disgust and dread. Anyone who was caught by Harley Quinn never had anything good to say about her or the things she did to them...

"Johann! Do you copy? It's Price!" Edward called frantically into the headset.

"A little busy here Khaki!" Johann shouted as gunfire echoed around him in the background.

"Johann, Reggie is gone. Harley Quinn's gotten, the commissioner, and that wanker sharp! What are our orders?" Edward asked in a calm tone.

"I saw the fokken feed on the monitor! Regroup at the medical ward with me and froggy and help us take back the fucking hospital from these clown faced bastards! On the double!" Johann shouted as he took cover behind a pillar as Blackgate prisoners open fire from across the hall from captured M-16 rifles from the Armory. "The bloody bastards hit the Armory and using our own guns against us!"

"Roger, On the way sir." Edward replied calmly as the batman disappeared into the shadows.

"Where the bloody'ell did the bat go?" He asked Sean.

"After the Joker's brasser." Sean replied with a chuckle. "Can we blame'em?"


	4. Chapter 3: Shifting Ground

_**Hello Readers! Glad to see a constant view count on this story from my European Comrades! Thank you Poland, Ukraine, Germany, UK, Ireland, and others for reading my work, The same goes for my Russian, Canadian, and America fan base too :) I hope your all going to enjoy this chapter with some Barley, Bruce and Harley shipping name, moments along with a thickening of the Merc's REAL purpose for being on Arkham Island.**_

_**Enjoy and remember, R&amp;R!**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

Johann loaded another magazine into his R5 and charged forward against the last thug with a well placed burst of automatic fire. The thug fell to the ground in a pool of his comrade's blood as the boots of both Astor and Johann crossed through leaving bloody foot prints as they marched onward toward the sound of muffled shouting and the Joker's rambling laughter on the PA and monitor systems.

"Who's dorks are these?! I don't remember hiring-" The Joker's voice boomed until Johann shot out the monitors. "Oh ha ha! Shoot the clown I see. Alright you bozo's I want these party crashers dead and buried! Who ever gets the smuck with the Eye patch gets to sit on my lap! Hahaha!" He finished over the PA system.

"I hate clowns." Astor remarked as he spat in disgust at the sound of the Joker's laughter.

"_Ja-nee." _Johann agreed as they pushed on toward the sanatorium where they found Arkham staff unaware of the hostel take over by the Joker. The doctors began to panic as they two armed merc's broke through the door and began to gather the doctors in another room to hide them from whatever the Joker was planning as he called over the PA for the doctors to be rounded up including Doctor young. The doctors began to fight against Johann and Astor thinking that they were working with the joker in his plan for Arkham.

"Get in the room before those pigdogs rear their heads!" Astor warned his fellow doctors as he motioned for them to get in a near by room for protection.

The doctors began to argue, throwing medical instruments, and even escaping into the far corners of the ward to hide from their supposed attacker. Astor ran after one of the Doctor's, A Doctor Penelope Young, down the corridors toward the X-ray facility. "Doctor Young! Doctor Young! Please stop! We are not your enemy!" Astor shouted as he chased her.

"Astor!" Johann shouted to Astor but he did not hear him. "Bloody hell! Astor you frog!" Johann shouted in a rage as he chased after them, leaving the doctors alone and confused.

Then the Blackgate hoard invaded the medical ward only moments after the departure...

* * *

_**Medical Center entrance, Moments before-**_

She propped her feet on the table and leaned back into her chair to relax after the last few hours of constant barking orders and restraining of officials and guards. After years of running with the Joker, Harley learned to appreciate her 'Me-time' more than anyone. After all her time was mostly spent drooling over the Joker or beating up the various punks and thugs her puddin employed. 'Me-Time' was a necessity for her and anyone who interrupted it would usually end up with a bullet in the brain or chopped to pieces, or whatever Harley or Mista J wanted at the time.

Gordon and Allen were tied up in the corner just with in view of Harley so she could watch them if they tried anything funny, along with Allen's Saiga-K on the table to stiffen her image to the boys in the corner.

"Your not gonna get away with this Quinn!" Gordon shouted, "Batman's gonna lock you-"

A coffee cup flew through the air and smashed against Gordon's face knocking him out for a few moments. Allen only stared at Harley with disgust before commenting "What happen to you Harleen?"

Harley snarled, "Nutten, just met a special fella and he showed me the world."

"What world?" Allen asked her coldly, knowing she meant the Joker.

She stood up from her chair and took his shotgun with her as she walked over to him. "A world of fun!" She laughed an evil and child like cackle as she shot around him until the gun she spoke again with "A world of smiles and candy, A world where we're all beautiful, a world were everyone is laughing..." She said as she whispered in his ear.

"A world of Death..." Allen interjected coldly.

"Your such a downer Reggie!" Harley replied as she smacked him with the butt of the gun.

Reggie spat blood and a few broken teeth onto the ground in front of him, "_ek sê chine! _A fucking clown takes your mind and fucks you side ways, now your his pet? _Ag man, _Aren't you a little old to be playing dress up or is this another one of your weird fetishes?" He taunted her.

She strikes him again and again with back of the rifle until finally knocking his chair over into a pool of his own blood. Allen was strong and kept fighting her, "You hit like your fokken ma! At least she hit me with everything she had. Unlike you _kont!"_

Harley had enough and called in her boys and with in seconds three blackgate thugs appeared to do her bidding. "Take this prick down to Croc's cell, I can hear that mug's stomach from here! Tick Tock! Time to feed the Croc!" She barked as she gave Allen another stiff kick to stomach. The Thugs picked him up and took him away into the unknown.

She flipped her hair and looked down at her platforms to see blood splattered over them. "Damn it! Thanks a lot Reggie! Now I got blood on my new boots!" She groaned as fired two shots from Allen's gun in their direction. "Talk about fucking rude! Especially how good I've been to you Reggie!"

"Good wouldn't be the first word I would use for your treatment of people, Quinn." A growl came from shadows beyond the electric pulse gate that separated her from the entrance.

In the door way she could see the looming figure of the Dark Knight with the eyes of raven staring her down with contempt. Harley scowled, angry that batman was still alive let alone interrupting her 'Me-Time'. "Scram bats!" She shouted as she aimed the shotgun at him and pulled the trigger. A loud thump of the firing pin striking an empty magazine signaled she was out of bullets to which she tossed the shotgun across the room. "Stupid gun ran dry!"

"You were never the smart one Quinn." Batman said harshly.

"And you were never a charmer batsy. Only that Kitty of youes can say other wise. Oh wait, Shes a whore!" Harley chuckled meanly.

"Neither were you the most mature." Batman said bluntly. "Selina and I are purely professional. I don't see how she pertains to anything right now."

'Oh crap.' Harley thought to herself as she could feel a little bit of Harleen pop out in her taunt. 'What the fuck Harleen?'

'_He-he, That wasn't me clown. Da twas you. He-he.' _Harleen replied with a giggle.

Harley gathered her thoughts and spat back with, "Of course it doesn't honey, Oh wait! I forgot! She's on the party list!" She recovered and pulled a list from her bra and put a smiley face near Catwoman's name.

Batman watched the clown girl twirk her body in a odd and playful manor as she scribbles on list. He caught a couple of glimpses of her looking up at him and almost locking her eyes on him until he blinked and groaned a little. The eye catching color of her outfit caught Batman to take second chair as Bruce began to run his eyes up and down Harley Quinn with a lustful gaze. He fought a pitched battle with the lonely man inside of him from breaking his stoic and hard outer shell from showing any sign of want or humanity. But even the Batman couldn't fight the social nature and need of companionship of a human being.

Harley fought just as hard against her other side, albeit a less sexual one and a more of a cry for help. Harleen was giving her a hell of a fight ever since that night in her cell only two days ago. She fought back against the Bat on his playing field, the mental field. A field that Harley could not and dared not to enter with the bat under any circumstance. It seemed her more mature and intelligent side of Harleen could stump him or at least hold on with the more cunning batman. But even the lonely Harley, her wild and manic side, couldn't help but check out the stone like physique under the ragged, torn, bullet ridden, and blood stained bat suit. Mister J hadn't slept with Harley in a year since he began planning for the take over of Arkham. She was starved for a man's touch, in a good way, and the feeling of ecstasy, adrenaline, power, love, and euphoria all rolled into a long night of love making. Unknown to her at the time, she was biting her lips lustfully and running her hands along her hips in a teasing manor.

An awkward silence took between the two enemies as their eyes locked on one another. Harley became a little nervous and could feel herself blush under her white face paint. She played with one of her pigtails twirling it around her fingers until batman broke the ice with one simple question:

"What happen to you Harleen?"

To hear her name, Her real name, out of his mouth, seemed to crack Harley in two just enough for Harleen to let out one response, "Joker happen.", and, as if it were on cue, the Joker appeared on the monitor with a sickening grin.

"Harley!" The Joker growled. "What's HE doing here? It's too early!"

The progress Harleen made was instantly shattered as she turned around quickly with a child like expression of glee to see her puddin. "I'm sorry puddin!" Harley said as she placed her hands on the screen and kissing the screen. "Please don't be angry with me."

"Oh you little minx, I can never stay mad at you!" The clown said in a sly tone before switching off the monitor.

Harley turned back to face the Dark Knight the look of glee still fresh on her young and beautiful complexion. "Sorry B-Man, But I gotta run." She flirtatiously as she skipped over to the electric shield. "Catch me if you can batsy." She whispers softly before blowing a kiss to Batman and cartwheeling into the halls of the medical ward.

Batman didn't say a word as he exited the Medical ward and back into the anarchy of Arkham Island. Harley didn't leave her post though, only hiding behind a wall long enough for batman to leave the foyer. She peaked around the corner to make sure he wasn't hiding in the shadows or hanging from the celling. After a quick look around she soon felt a calm sense of peace fill the small corner of the medical ward. The Dark Knight has a presence that fills up a room, wither he was with in it or not.

"_Look at ya kid, Your drooling over Batman and the Joker. I mean really?" _Harleen scowled.

"I'm not drooling over that big, ugly, bat!" Harley protested.

"_It's not what your panties are saying..." _

Harley's face turned a bright red as she could feel her purple lace thong dripping with juices from her untouched pussy.

"It can't be over the fucking bat! He's just... Just so..." Harley ranted until finally throwing herself back into her chair.

"_Handsome... So strong... Almost like Bruce Wayne..." _Harleen added with a long sigh, only making Harley more starved for sex.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'm The Jokers girl! He's my puddin and he'll be heart broken if he even thinks that I'm thinking of the bat!"

Harleen giggled, _"I wasn't the one who's sizing batman up. That was all you Harley, you know my heart's with Bruce Wayne after that night in the Iceberg Lounge. Looks like your caught between lovers Harls!" _

Harley began to sulk and folded her arms together, "Whatever! I'm Mister J's Harley and he's my puddin! And that's that!"

"_Just wait until he throws us away like yesterday and then you can say whatever you want! Oh wait! He did throw us out, about fifty times, killed your 'babies', and pins your for his crimes. Yet you still go back to the smuck? You've got Hybristophilia written all over your blood stained hands of youse." _Harleen said resentfully. "_We both know that I'm right, Right about J and the Bat."_

"My puddin may be a little rough, yeah, but he loves me. He wouldn't just tose me out in Da cold.." Harley said in an innocent and naive tone as she tried to find the good in Mister J, the good that brought her to become Harley Quinn. She remembered the term Harleen threw at her, hybristophillia, Bonnie &amp; Clyde syndrome, from collage and it's loose definition: the attraction to criminals and their violent acts. She couldn't think clearly as the memories of being with the Joker and the small moments of peace with the bat raced passed her mind at raceway pace until she finally spotted the package of cigarettes on the table. Harley scrambled to open the pack and quickly lit up a smoke to ease her nerves from the stress around her.

"_Are you sure he won't? We never smoke unless we're stressed... Or in doubt about a man... You don't know do ya?" _Harleen reminded her. _  
_

Harley gave a long sigh as she took a couple of drags off the cigarette. Was Harleen right about her? Joker? Even Batman? Not only that but why did she call Batman 'Honey'? Yeah she had her nicknames for him like Batsy, B-man, bat, and others. But never anything as endearing as Honey. Not only that but Batman never called her Harleen...

Yeah Quinn and even on ultra rare occasions Harley. But never by her REAL name. It was surreal to hear her name come out of his mouth with such... such... such power, such meaning, such sadness...

Was he lamenting for her? Did he feel bad for her? Was he worried for her?

A small, almost insignificant object caught her attention as it sat on the floor near a over turned table. It was an old piece of technology that seemed out of place in the advanced Asylum, but it was a necessary piece of kit for a psychiatrist: The Simple tape recorder.

After taking a few hits off of her cigarette she retrieved the recorder and placed it on the table next to her. A empty tape sat prepped and ready, only taking a single press of a button to begin recording her message.

"_What are you planning Harls?"_ Harleen asks her manic side.

"I want to give B-man one for the books." She said in a serious tone as she took another hit and pressed play.

* * *

**Sanatorium, One hour later- **_**  
**_

Johann, Astor, Batman, and Aaron Cash met together with the other doctors in near the elevator leading down to the morgue and the medical wing. Dr. Young was protesting to Batman regarding getting her research on a project TITAN in her office back in Arkham Mansion.

Batman was reluctant from the beginning and insisted that she stay in safety with the other doctors in the care of Cash and the 9th Company. But Dr. Young was more hard headed than her bio implied as she fought back harder until Astor intervened. "Monsieur Batman, their is a boat at the dock house. We can escort my fellow doctors aboard this vessel and the commissioner, if possible, and get them off of this hellhole. Will you allow us this task?"

"I don't recall a promotion to that of an Officer, Astor." Johann said in a annoyed and cross tone.

"Your medical officer is right," Batman interjected. "Gordon's trail leads down that elevator and I have to return him to Gotham."

"I do not blame you." Johann agreed, "That clown has enough bombs planted in Gotham to sink the entire Royal Navy. I'm surprised everyone isn't running in screaming in terror out of the city, Especially since that Eegit Ryder been blabbing on the radio about since 0 hundred this morning. It would have made things a little more interesting."

Batman only grunted in disdain for the Mercenaries comment and stormed off into the elevator without a word said. Johann had the same feeling of disdain for the Dark Knight, half of which came from having Batman save them from a hoard of gun totting tugs with only his fists and a couple batarangs. Though he too was skilled in hand to hand combat after his years in the South African Army and in the French Foreign Legion, he found that firearms proved to give an edge in almost every situation unless in the stealth based combat that Batman took apart in. He held a distrust for the cape crusader, as did all police officers in Gotham once did, for his vigilantism and non-lethal approach to combat. Johann was a killer, he saw no humanity in any of the scum that walked the halls of Arkham Asylum. That's what he was trained to do and how he made his living in life.

After another round of arguments, Batman continued his mission on Arkham without hesitation. Though he was unsure of the lead mercenary and his rather dark undertones. Aaron Cash and Dr. Young made their way to Arkham Manor with Johann and Astor leading the way with Doctors bring up the rear as they marched out of the front door of the medical ward. Johann and Astor fanned out to take up positions near the stone guard rails for cover against any enemy fire. From what they could see from atop the elevated stairway prisoners from Blackgate were reinforcing their brothers from Penitentiary and north Arkham, some armed with makeshift clubs and others with AR-15 and G-36 assault rifles stolen from the armory. But they kept their distance from the medical ward and stuck around the penitentiary. From what they could see, the thugs were building a wooden wall or gate over the entrance to the cell blocks.

"Sir, what are they doing?" Astor asks as they watch the prisoners work.

"No clue, but whatever it is they aren't paying attention to us." Johann told him as he scanned his eyes toward another steel door leading to Arkham East. Their he saw Dr. Young and Cash talking to his comrades Sean and Edward for a brief moment before they rushed toward the medical ward under the watchful eyes of Jean and Johann.

The appeared to be flustered and rather angry as they took up the stairs to see their commander and medic watching over fleeing doctors. "What the hell is this mad man planning!?" Edward said in a harsh whisper as he set up his MG in opposing direction to cover their rear.

"By the sounds of it, its a take over, a damn fine planned one at the." Sean responded as he took aim with his GOL at the prisoners building the wall.

"Hold your fire and shut ya gob." Johann scolded. "We have doctors down below and about to jump ship once Gordon is found. Speaking of lost and found, where's Reggie?"

"We told you sir, the clown's whore has'em." Edward remarked. "But I think we need to worry about is the swag in the manor..."

Johann gave him a scowl and shh'ed him promptly. Astor and Sean quickly perked their ears and narrowed their gaze toward their commander and Khaki. "What's all this then?" Sean asked them.

_"Jou maaifoedie Khaki...(You Motherfucking Englishman)"_ Johann growled at Edward.

Edward only responded with the two finger salute and kept his gun trained on the far end of Arkham west. Johann caved to the pressure as, once again, the Englishman left him hanging high and dry to the mercy of his men. He could never lie bluntly to his men, maybe have an agenda or angle to work on during a job, but he could not lie to them.

He gave a long sigh before explaining to them his main reason for bringing them to Arkham in the first place...


	5. Chapter 4: Secrets and Seekers

_**Greetings again my friends, I bring you another chapter and a mystrey for you. Enjoy and thanks for your views everyone! :)**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

"Go to Hell you greedy bastards." Sean growled with contempt as he drew his pistol at Johann and Edward.

"It's always been about this son." Johann told him as he took aim with his R5 at Sean. "First rule of being a mercenary. You know this."

"Now are you with us or against us?" Edward asked him and Astor as he brandished his MAG at Astor.  
Shots rang out from the entrance to the Medical ward and distracted Johann and Edward long enough for Sean to disarm Johann and throw him off the ledge down to the ground below. Astor jumped on Edward's back took away his machine gun before he too was thrown off the ledge. Taking the R5 carbine off the ground, Sean quickly charged the handle and let loose with a full magazine worth of bullets into the door and cutting apart the top half of one of the doors, Through the opening they could see a figure in a long brown trench coat with a hood and gas mask brandishing a combat shotgun as he ran toward the sanitarium. He recognized the gun in the figures hand and instantly leaped to his feet in a moments time.

"Froggy! We got another traitor!" Sean shouted as he ran inside with Johann's rifle in hand.

"But the doctors!" Astor protested.

"Their fine! Now come along before those to tossers wake up from their fall!" Sean shouted, knowing that the fall would only knock Edward and Johann out for a moment or two. Astor gazed over to see Johann and Edward knocked out below them was reassured, but still watched the Doctors who were getting into the boathouse. He was worried about his commander and dearest friend, was he serious about their meaning here? What of Allen? What of lives of everyone here?

Then he remembered his friend Sean who chased after the strange man. Astor was never really friends with Sean or remotely liked him, but he was still his comrade in arms and Astor still needed to help his brothers regardless of what he thought of them. It was a doctor trait that still held true to him.

With that as his incentives, Astor followed Magic as they tracked down the strange figure as the ominous voice of the Joker taunted Batman in the lower levels of the medical ward.

* * *

_**Medical bay...**_

Harley hummed a happy tune and pranced around with an AR-15 in hand as Commissioner Gordon sat bound to a chair with fuzzy handcuffs. Below them were a handful of thugs with shoot to kill attitudes hiding under clown make up with fingers rapped tightly around the triggers of stolen weapon from the armory. She was bubbly than ever since she finally got one of her demons off of her chest and that Mister J gave her such an important task.

"Just watch old man Gordon and wait for the bat to show, Then BOOM!" The Joker told her before hand.

She relished in the smile, the pat on the head, and even the little peck he gave her on the head before sending her out like a perky little girl. Her more sane side, Harleen, only growled and nagged at her without end on how he was only playing her for his own ends. But Harley simply ignored her and kept her mind occupied on a special dream of hers.

"This old man looks like he's gonna pee himself. Someone bring me a bucket!" Harley shouted to the laughing guards below.

"You'll never get away with this Quinn!" Gordon shouted before Harley smashed the butt of her rifle into his face.

"Ah Shut up! Mister J has already won and your just hear to get the bat-brain to pop outta the dark!" She shouted back at him. "Once the boys see'em I'll blast you good and then the bat! Mister J will be so happy with me! Gasp He might even ask to marry me!" Harley squealed with glee as she jumped up and down joyously. "It's going to be so cool!"

Gordon laughed at the absurdity of Harley's remark. His laughter only infuriated her and she struck him again and again with the butt of the rifle until the black polymer stock was stained red with Gordon's blood. But the old man was stronger than she originally thought as he spat out blood and teeth onto the ground in front of her. "Crazy bitch, You really think that Psychopath is going to settle down with you? What about Batman? He's just going to stop him with twice the conviction he already has. God know's he has a lot of it after the hell that Clown puts you through..."

Harley lifted the butt of the rifle for another blow, but stopped threw the gun to the ground with a confused and interested expression. "Woah Woah Woah, Pause the game gramps. Say that again?"

"Listen kid, Batman and I have worked together since he first stopped your boyfriend in Blackgate all those years ago." Gordon told her as she dropped on the ground cross legged like a child hearing a story from their grandfather. "I never trusted him until that point. But the years after that gave me a better incite on who the man behind the cowl was. In some twisted way he cares for some of you psychopaths, maybe that's why he always takes you to this Hellhole... But the Joker was different and even you were different, even before the riots in Blackgate. But Batman was different then too. He was still green in a sense, only I think to be about 2 years into his crusade, but even then I could see some signs of weakness for people. Catwoman is one of them, and you, before THIS." He said, referring to her new life as Harley Quinn with a disgusted scowl. "After your rescue from Blackgate and Joker's defeat, He made sure that you recessive special care regarding your ordeal with the Joker. Even after that Batman would ask f you were involved in the Joker's schemes, if you were at the time he would always make sure a psychiatrist was the first person you saw if you came here. Sometimes if you helped him he would arrange special treatment for you in Arkham. But what do I know? I'm just an old man."

Harley was confused and even to a point with Harleen, but Harleen began putting the pieces together...

"B-man... Cares for me?" She asked in a conflicted tone as she struggled to put the word care and batman in the same sentence, something that she Harley could never possibly think of in the same sentence.

With a second of Harley opening her mouth a loud bang erupted from the reinforced glass behind her. She saw two figures, one man in a BDU and another in a trench coat fighting on the ground...

Suddenly she was tackled from above and knocked unconscious from a dark figure, Batman.

* * *

_**On the Other side of the glass, seconds later-**_

Sean tackled the figure to the ground knocking the shotgun across the floor as he delivered blow after blow from his fists until they bled from striking the gas mask on the attacker's face. The figure kicked Sean off and delivered swift jabs and blows to Sean's face and stomach before kicking him to the ground. But Sean leaped quickly to his feet and charged toward the figure, tackling and pinning the figure to the wall with his hands placed firmly around the figures neck.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?!" Sean Demanded from the silent figure as he slammed his head against the glass. "TALK WANKER! TALK! YOU WITH JOHANN AND KHAKI?!"

A crash from below threw Sean off balance for only a choice moment. The figure's boot took Sean off balance and another barrage of fists sent him to the ground in mire seconds. But Sean did not recover as quickly this time and soon the figure disappeared...

The Irishman struggled to his feet once more, blood oozing from the top of his eye brow and nose. He let out a growled and punched the glass with his bare and bloody fist, cracking the glass. Boot steps echoed through the hall behind Sean who drew his Hi-Power and fired three rounds into the door way.

"Bon dieu Irlandais!" Astor shouted fearfully in french as bullets whizzed past him.

"Lousy wanker!" Sean snarled as Astor stood in the door huffing and puffing from running through the bottom half of the Ward "Where the blue blazes were you?"

"I had- I had to- Fuck, I had to by pass the lower ends via an emergency shaft-" Astor exasperated as he grabbed the wall beside him for support.

"Bloody bouzzie..." Sean hissed as he pushed Astor out of the door way and followed the hallway after the figure with pistol firmly in hand.

* * *

_**45 minutes later, Arkham West**_

With Gordon in the hands of Batman, Bane swimming in the Gotham River, and the secret of Patient X revealed. Batman escorts him on to an emergency craft along with the remaining doctors who he found cowering in the boathouse near by. The doctors spoke of a team of Mercenaries trying to save them, but two escaped into the medical ward and the other two ran away toward Arkham East after Harley Quinn.

Unknown to doctors and to some extent the commissioner, Batman could feel the muscles in his body tighten as the rage inside of him began to boil his blood. But he kept his cool and cold demeanor as he spoke calmly with the Commissioner, but shortly after he told Gordon the meaning of 'Bruja' a figure in a long brown, hooded, trench coat wearing a gas mask slowly walks toward them with Sean and Astor draped over his shoulders. Two security guards from Arkham Asylum trained their rifles on the coated figure as did Commissioner Gordon with his side arm, but Batman raised his hand for them to put their weapons away.

"Identify yourself." The Dark Knight demanded. But the figure did not respond and only looked at Sean and Jean on his shoulders. Neither man could see one another expressions, but the gaze in each man's eyes told a story. Batman approached the coated man and took the two mercenaries off of his shoulders and to his surprise they were both alive albeit unconscious. The odor of rotten eggs and formaldehyde drenched their cloths, a sign of Scarecrow's signature strain of fear toxin.

"These men were gas." Batman stated to which the figure nodded with out a word.

"James, take these men back to Gotham for treatment. God knows they did their part well here tonight." Batman told Gordon as he sat them in the boat.

"You going after Quinn?" Gordon asks him as the boat slowly departs from the docks.

Batman says nothing and only turns to face the figure in the coat and mask. "Tell me your name." Batman demands.

"I am the spirit of Arkham." The figure tells him coldly through the gas mask with shotgun slung on his back.

"Stay out of my way." The Dark Knight tells him as he grapples away into the night.

"I work alone as well, _China..._" The figure says as he watched the Dark Knight glide through the night sky.

**"Go..." **A voice whispered to the figure. **"Go... Complete my work..."**

"Yes Amadeus..." The figure replied as he began his journey to Arkham East...

* * *

_**Inside Arkham manor-**_

Johann tossed a file cabinet across the room of Warden Sharp's office. "A-A-A-AHHH! Where is the fucking map!? This fucker has to have the fucking map!"

Edward gentle dug through the files of the Warden's desk like a detective, unlike his brutish commander. "Simmer down Johannes." Edward says calmly as he inspects each file carefully. "Sharpie has to have the file in his personal collection. Even if the bugger was dumb enough to place one of Arkham Asylum's greatest secrets in a file cabinet for psychopaths, Shapie would at least file it correctly."

"Why don't we just round up a handful of prisoners and force them to dig? Simple and ease." Johann argued.

"Because we are not animals." Edward responded without breaking concentration.

Johann scowled and threw over more file cabinets looking for a file on Amadeus Arkham.

"How did you come over to Coldwater International anyways Sir?" Edward asks him, trying to make conversation to calm Johann down.

Being the narcissist he is Johann began telling him of his story.

"In South Africa I was once a poor child. Growing up poor, believe it or not, can be good for a child. It helps you realize the lie your parents tell you that the world is a good place was just that, A lie. I grew up scrounging for food and selling stolen goods just to survive. Mother and Father died when I was younger and so it was just me until I was about 18 or 19 when I joined the army under a false identity. My skills as a survive paved my way into the Recces, South Africa's Special Forces. Twenty years later I held the rank of General and served on the Presidents cabinet until the end of apartheid in South Africa. Even before the end of Apartheid I was already wary about the state of control in the regime, and European rule in Southern Africa, following the collapse of Rhodesia. The idea of a 'Rainbow Nation' spread almost like cancer across the beauty of my nation, spilling the blood of my folk across it's boundless landscape. Around, I would have to say, 1993 or 1995 I gave the new government a go around as things became a little jumpy on the border with Angola and all those other piss ant countries on the Border. The Cuban's came back to Angola, this time with a force worth our time and twice the numbers." Johann reached into his pocket for his cigar case and lite one up as he remembered his youth.

"Mandela wasn't too keen on going to war, but I was. The Cuban's sent some of their best this time and even a few Mercenaries from various companies itching to prove themselves in the new world after the Cold War, One of them of Coldwater International. Unfortunately for them I routed their forces and awaited patiently from the President and his cabinet to destroy them. But he did not give the order I wanted and ordered that I was to be arrested for crimes against humanity because of my former loyalty to the Former South African Government. Along with stealing the Thunder from one of the new appointees from his stock of Crayons in his Rainbow Nation in the form of halting, routing, and annihilating the Communist pigs in the bush.

"It sounds like your not a fan of the Africans or Mandela." Edward remarked.

"Not one bit and I'll leave it at that. But I digress, After my arrest I escaped from my incarceration and took refuge with in the FFL for a few more years until I deserted for Coldwater. Left my wife and kid in South Africa, or at least the old lady-"

Footsteps from downstairs caught the attention of the Mercenaries. They dropped the paper work for their side arms and took behind the over turn desks as Zsasz came crawling in with Doctor Young in his blood drenched arms and cussing Batman's name. Dr. Young was screaming and crying as the mad man held her tightly with the blade of his knife pressed firmly against her throat.

"Oi, Khaki." Johann whispered to Edward as he drew his Chrome Desert Eagle with a 10inch Barrel.

"Hold your fire and wait. Batman will be here soon." Edward told him as he tightened a suppressor at the end of his M9 pistol.

"Roger Roger..." Johann whispered as they waited for the perfect moment to strike.


	6. Chapter 5: Catch me if you can

_**Thanks for the reviews and views this much, almost 200 views this month alone! But the story isn't done just yet! **_

_**Enjoy the chapter :) And don't worry a moment is coming for Bruce and Harley :)**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

Zsasz quickly backed up into the Warden's office with a fear filled Dr. Young gripped tightly in his scared arms. Her screams bounced off empty and otherwise unforgiving walls of Arkham manor as she cries for someone to help her. But no one came to her, not even Johann and Edward who sat by behind the over turn desks with pistols in hand.

"Stay silent and let the good doctor die." Johann told his partner as they heard the Joker come on the PA urging Zsasz to kill Dr. Young. But Zsasz only became jumpier and jumpier until he began shouting violently into the shadows at what he thought was Batman.

"If I see anything that even looks like a bat, I'm killing her!" He shouted into the Darkness until a Batarang drilled him in the back of the head knocking him unconscious.

"Damn good shot." Edward remarked as he jumped from behind the table and went to aid Dr. Young. Johann smirked and played along as he followed behind with his Black 10inch barreled .44 caliber Desert Eagle held lazily in one hand like a bandit.

"Dr. Young, It's Khaki, are you all right ma'am?" Edward asked as he helped her to her feet. "Where's Cash?"

"Evil Evil Evil monster!" She screamed as she broke out of Edwards grip and began to pound her fists against Zsasz unconscious body.

"Calm down woman." Johann said darkly as he took her off of Zsasz's body and aimed for his head with his pistol.

"Now tell us about the Arkham fortune. Or you'll go to the same place he's going." Edward replied as he brandished his pistol at her.

"What are you talking about?!" Dr. Young exclaimed, "The only thing I know about is TITAN and that's it! What fortune?!"

"Stop where you are." Batman told them as he slowly walked through the archway that separated the sea of file cabinets and Sharp's office.

Johann looked at Batman and then back at Zsasz then once more at Batman. Edward only backed up toward the wall with his Silenced M9 Beretta pistol aimed for the Bats head. The Boer gave a dirty smirk and stared down the Dark Knight as he pulled the trigger killing Zsasz instantly, sending brain matter and skull fragments all over them.

"Ooopsie!" Johann said in a nonchalant and remorseless tone.

Batman leaped forward to engage Johann and the Boer rose his heavy sidearm to kill the bat once and for all. Time seemed to slow down to a near stand still as the two figures paths headed for a collision course in hell. All was quiet around them, even the mad rantings of the Joker and cries of Dr. Young seemed to fade away into silence.

The crack of a high powered rifle broke shattered the silence and the glass of the high windows of the office. The Dark Knight could almost see the football shaped bullet of a .300 Magnum round whiz through the air toward Johann. But instead of killing the murderous bandit, the bullet shattered Johann's wrist and cutting off his right hand in the process, while passing through with enough energy to destroy Khaki's wrist as well as save Dr. Young. The heavy gun flew across the room as Batman dropped the one handed Johannes to the ground and began to beat him to a bloody pulp. Another shot rang out from the same window and hitting Edward in the right fermur effectively crippling him. But Johann fought back and threw Batman off of him with his legs with enough force to propel himself to his feet to swipe his gun off the floor and escape from the grasps of the Bat and the eye of the Sniper.

* * *

"That's right pal, run away, Run away like the gutless wanker you are." Sean said as he loaded another shell into the chamber of his GOL sniper rifle. His body was soaked to the bone after jumping off of the boat and swimming back to the Island. Fighting his way to a decent spot wasn't hard, but tracking Johann and Khaki was another story. Those bastards were planning this heist for sometime now and Sean knew about it, but said nothing since he thought their wasn't going to be an opportunity like this to give them the time to pull it off. But he was wrong.

The prize was hidden, he knew this, so was the map. Logic dictated that it would be kept in a file of some sort and logic dictated once more that the warden would hold such an idem in his office. Even Harley Quinn could have thought that riddle out with out trouble, the trouble came to finding a spot high enough that he could take a shot. Luckily Arkham Island held some forms of elevation in the form of a hill side or two for his own mission: Killing traitors.

Through his scope he gave over watch to Batman and Doctor Young as they spoke to one another. Young walked over to one of the safes in the wall and then engulfed in a ball of flame.

"Shite..." Sean whispered as he saw the explosion knockout Batman as well. But soon he saw a large group of men lead by a slutty blonde enter the room with an oldman with his bound his hands together.

"Quinn and the gang came to play..." Sean spoke ominously as he placed his cross hairs on Harley Quinn. "Lets give her a show..."

His finger gripped the trigger and slowly squeezed back...

'Click!' The firing pin struck the primer on the back of .300 Winchester Magnum shell, but the powder did not ignite and only fizzled. It was wet from the dip in the Gotham River and it seemed that Sean didn't realize his ammunition bag had a hole in it's water proof seal. "Fuck... Powders wet." Sean remarked as he reached into his bag to grab another magazine to replace the one in the gun. "And out of bullets... Why does god punish me so?"

With that, Sean picked up his rifle and began to scale down the rocky hillside with the hopes of tracking down Johann and finding Allen. But plans were made to go wrong.

* * *

Harley Quinn approached Edward while twirling Sharp's decorative cane as she stepped over Zsasz's corpse. "Woah! Who whacked Zsasz!?" She asked her boys until she saw Edward laying on the ground. A smirk ran across her face as she approached the mercenary as he bleed out in front of her with a shattered femur.

"Damn Eddy, That's one nasty boo-boo!" Harley exclaimed with empty pity. "Looks like one of my boys was getting to trigger happy with some of the new toys we found laying around. Maybe I can fix it, I am a doctor after all!" With a chuckle she shoved the end of the cane in his wound hitting the broken bone and began to twist the cane. "Where's your buddies? That Irish guy, froggy, and the other two? Oh wait! I killed Allen or should I say Croc did! But where's da other one?"

Edward and Harley despised one another due to his arrogance and 'I'm better than you attitude' he held to her. Harley relished in the pain he caused the arrogant prick, but Harleen didn't and only stayed quiet as her darker half enjoyed the sadistic torture.

The level of pain Edward was in nearly broke the veteran SAS commando. But the old saying, "You don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the very level of your training", kicked to life as Edward remembered the grueling 36 hours of RTI (Resistance to Interrogation) training at the hands of SAS drill masters. Suddenly he began to combat the pain with his will and swung at Harley with his remaining hand to distract her as he leaped for his gun. One of the Blackgate thugs responded without hesitation with a full magazine from an AR-15 assault rifle, killing him instantly from trauma and blood loss.

"Servers you right ya stiff!" Harley shouts, kicking the dead body and out of the corner of her eye she could see Batman slowly coming back to life from the trap set by the Joker.

'_We should check on him.'_ Harleen suggested. _'He might be hurt.'_

"So what? I hope he's..." Harley began to trail off as she turned to see Batman covered in burns and scars from the blast. A curious expression came across her face as she saw him groaning from the pain. His cowl covered head rose high enough for her to see a cut across the side of his cheek dripping fresh blood. The suit he wore was cut, burned, bullet torn, and bloody from constant service, some of them came from her when her and Batman would fight atop of the roof tops and in the alley ways of Gotham city. Each cut told a story, a story that Harley knew better than anyone as she was both on the giving and receiving end of pain. Being the Joker's girl she came to grow use to the violence on both ends of the spectrum, but looking at the wounded Batman pulled the remaining strings of sympathy and altruism left in Harley Quinn.

_'Your feeling his pain.' _Harleen told her as they watched him struggle to get up. _'We both can and we both know that pain.'_

But Harley shook her head and waltzed over Batman with a shit eating grin on her face as she fights with Harleen with a cold and empty comment about Dr. Young's death.

"Poor Doctor Young. But still, you know how much Mister J hates a squealer!" Harley remarks with empty pity, much to Harleen's disgust.

"_Just wait until you fuck up and that clown keelhauls us for blabbing about his plans. You know you will, you'll just get pissy and tell him about the garden lab and everything won't you?" _Harleen antagonized her.

Harley only grew annoyed and looked around for a goon or thug to beat down with the cane. She first looked at the wounded Bat before her and she rose her cane to strike him while he was down, maybe just beat him until the red rug under their feet turned a darker red. But two things held her back from doing the deed right then right now: The wrath of Mr. J and her heart. She couldn't understand the latter reason, but Harleen could. Harleen knew the feeling in her heart even after five years of detaunt with Harley as she came to the realization that her life came to an end and her only way out was to go ahead with the Joker. Harley may love the Joker, but Harleen saw him once as as a necessary evil. But five years of beating, abuse, bad sex, and third world living conditions changed her mind quickly. But the love that Harley called it defeated her attempts time and time again, leaving only extremely rare moments for Harleen to break through the lies and sweet nothings to help Batman. The most eventful being when she gave a long smooch to Batman in Arkham Asylum two years ago, a moment that both side of her could agree on that it was moment that would never happen again in their life.

But one question plagued her, What would Joker do if she did slay the Dark Knight?

The damaged ego of Harley Quinn couldn't think straight nor could she allow to look weak in front of the jackal like thugs she lead around the prison. Looking weak in front of these guys was a death sentence, looking weak in front of these guys dressed like a stripper gets you gang rape and you either die during or after. Either way it was a death sentence if she killed him, spared him, or showed an ounce of humanity.

"And speaking of squealers..." Harley said as she turned to Warden Sharp and ripped off the tape on his mouth before beating him with his cane until the tip broke off. "Sharpie thinks he still runs the place. Talk about crazy!"

Harley then looked at the cane and its broken tip laying on the ground near Batman. She gazed at the tip and snapped her eyes to batman, "_Catch me if you can, Bats." _She mouthed as she gave him a wink before Blackgate thugs surrounded him.

Batman looked around to see that Harley broke off the tip of the cane in the process of releasing some pent up anger on Warden Sharp. Why did she knowingly acknowledged her mistake and not even attempt to fix it? It didn't make sense to the logical batman as he laid on the floor, but Harley's carefree voice sang out with Brooklyn cheer breaking his train of thought with in seconds of orders to her gang

''Get him boys! If he gets up, knock him down. But not too rough, Mister J still needs him for the party tonight!" Harley shouted as she twirled the remains of the cane before throwing it through the broken window. "Bye Bye!" She chucked as she skipped out of the warden's office with Sharpie close behind.

"_Do you know what you just did?" _Harleen staggered as they walked out of the door.

"You want out of this life don't cha?" Harley asked other side.

"_More than anything... And I know you do too..." _

"Then lets play a game of cat and mouse!" Harley chuckled to herself.

* * *

**_Medical Ward, Twenty minutes later-_**

Johann rapped his nub with gaws and medical tape until he finally managed to cauterizing his missing hand with a pool of burning rubbing alcohol he lit with his lighter. He sucks up the pain in a cloud of cigar smoke as he takes in the last of his cigars as he looks around the medical ward for anything of us to his mission. But soon he came across a file on the ware a bouts of Pamela Isley, AKA Poison Ivy, and a special gift tucked away in a large wardrobe in the Patient observation wing of the medical ward...

"Firefly eh?" Johann asked himself as he looked at the news paper clippings on the door. Below them was a gift from Firefly as well...

"Flammenwerfer... Flame Thrower..." Johann hissed with joy, "Perfect."


	7. Chapter 6: Crossroads

_**It's heating up my friends! Things are about to get more fun in a couple of chapters, So keep reading! I have over 300 views for this story after only about 15 day and it seems everyone is loving it :) **_

_**Thank you all for your views! **_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

The brown coated figure walked through the hallow tile walls of the penitentiary unopposed by Joker's gang. He soon came across a steel security door with a body scanner that let out a ghostly blue light to scan his person. He stood like a stone as the light scanned over him and the large door opened to reveal a large a dark hallway flanked by plasma screen TV's and security cameras.

'What a waste of resources and time.' The figure thought to himself as the sound of his boots clicked against the concrete floor. For nearly a century the spirit of Amadeus Arkham dwell with in the walls, the dirt, the water, and the minds of it's wardens and doctors since the death of it's creator in the 1920's after his own Asylum broke his mind. His spirit never passed on to the other side but stayed with in the walls of his own creation as punishment for murdering the man who raped and murdered his wife and daughter.

Doing the wrong thing for the right reason, The right thing for the wrong reason, or otherwise, never sits well with Karma...

Amadeus spirit possessed a man he found weak or powerful enough to influence the course of events in his own purgatory. But this man was different, he wasn't weak nor powerful. Just as broke as he once was, unknowingly sharing the trauma of seeing their love ones raped and butchered, and shared the need to prevent such slaughter at the hands of the insane and demonic. But the similarities end at the death of the wife and daughter, unlike Amadeus who murdered his mother.

Another security door appeared at the end of the hall in the light of another scanner and flanked by two more HD camera's giving a live feed to the Joker and his whore Harley Quinn who stalked the halls and corridors of the Asylum. The burning essence of madness radiated from behind the door strong enough to make the marked one shiver with disgust as the door opened slowly to reveal a den of grossest inmates of Arkham unknown and nonredeemable patients. These 'people' were barely clothed and without shoes with strange masks or devices covering or holding their mouths and eyes open. They screamed, howled, growled, and cried madly at everything around them as they climbed on the bars of their cells or pulsated on the floor wildly. Rows upon rows of these cells dotted this massive complex atop of a strange floor made of thick glass and emitters of some kind.

"Pacification floors..." He said to himself as he treed cautiously onto the floor into the sea of insanity before him. Every step was muffed by the screams of the absent minded, but the eyes of the madmen soon drew on the man as he made his way toward the home of the witch: The Green Mile.

"Today is a wonderful day, is it not my fellows?" He asks the room in a dark and broken tone similar to that of an old man.

A silence gripped the room as the madmen threw themselves under their beds and backs to the wall, leaving only the sounds of footsteps echoing throughout the penitentiary. Madness turned to fear and fear into dread as some of the madmen began to weep while others simple hid away and out of the site of the coated and masked figure.

"Do not fear, Do not weep, do not wallow in despair oh my fellows. Because today is a special day, a special day indeed!" The figure stated with glee as he drew closer and closer toward the green mile. "For today my fellows is the day I release the witch from her mortal bonds. Today is where I free YOU from your earthly shakes and return you to the pit of depravity for wince you came..."

The door to the green mile drew closer and closer with every word uttered from beneath the Canadian made C3 gas mask.

"Today is your homecoming."

* * *

_**Meanwhile with Harley-**_

Skipping like a school girl on her way home from a joyous day, Harley held a large smile on her face at the progress of the Joker's take over of the Asylum and her own plan in action. She knew Batman was here with her in the penitentiary hiding away in the shadows or searching for ol'Sharpie. He was getting to predictable in someways and she counted on it.

Her plan was simple, trap the bat and keep him busy so that Mr. J could complete his work on TITAN and the boys on the 'Party'. Just hold him off or hold him captive, that was the plan.

But Harley knew better than to count on just one plan, she had the riddler place something for the bat in a cell. But Harleen knew better than she did about him and only stayed quiet as Harley skipped down the hallway to nab Sharpie for the party.

"_You know he's might have made it to Sharp by now." _Harleen remarked as they skipped into the silent cell block full of crazies.

"I know, I can feel him here. He's got a presence that fills a room, even if it's full of crazies." Harley agreed. "But it's all according to Joker's plan, he wants him here ya know? That's why he has me holding him back for a bit. But hey, maybe we can... You know..."

"_Talk to em?" _Harleen completed her thought.

"Yeah," Harley said, agreeing with her good and sane said for once. "I mean, Joker may have won already, but we don't know. Maybe he will kill the bat tonight, but then what?" She said, showing doubt in her future without Batman to keep Joker's world intact.

_"Then we're done, it's the cold truth." _Harleen said, sensing disillusion in her voice, a sign of reason coming to the surface. "_But do you really want to kill the Batman?"_

"Gee! Whats will all the fraiddy crazies?" Harley asked, ignoring Harleen completely.

"_Did you even hear me?" _Harleen asked her annoyingly.

"Yeah, but look at all the crazies! They look like they saw a ghost or somethin. Usually I can't hear myself think in here!" Harley replied.

"_What? You actually think? Wow and I thought I was the only voice in ya noggin!" _Harleen remarked sarcastically, much to Harley's annoyance.

She stuck out her tongue, but soon realized that she was only arguing with herself. "Yeah Yeah! Whatever! Lets just get Sharpie out'a hear and back to the clown before Bats shows up!" Harley said in an annoyed tone.

"_The Clown?" _Harleen asked in a surprised tone. "_Don't you mean Puddin? Mista J? Or my Jokha?"_

"No- Yeah- I mean, Fuck!" Harley stammered as she reached the green mile security door.

In front of her stood a figure in a long brown trench coat with a hood holding a cut down Saiga combat shotgun with one hand facing Poison Ivy's cell. He didn't acknowledge Harley's arrival and focused completely on Ivy as she begged him to let her go from the special cell so she could return to her plants. The figure didn't speak and only responded by raising his shotgun one handed and firing into the control box. The cell door flew open to Ivy and Harley's surprise, as was his response, or rather an order, to Ivy once she stepped out of her cell.

"Run." The muffled voice of the man told Ivy from under the gas mask.

"Why are you hiding from me?" Ivy asked the man as she rapped her arms around his neck to seduce him, But the gas mask filtered her pheromones and prevented her from acting out her control on him. "What is under that mask?" She asked as she let down the hood to reveal a shaved head. Her hands touched the straps holding the mask to his face but the man resisted and grabbed her arms.

"No. Just run before the devil finds you." He tells her before putting her arms at her sides.

Ivy only smiles and walks away from the man toward the door. But before she leaves she blows a kiss to him and exits without trouble.

"Such a good kid." Harley remarks as she draws a Glock 18 from her boot, "Now who are you?" She demands as she puts her free hand on her hip.

"A friend." He tells her. "A brother, a lover, and a guide. But this time..." The figure reaches for the straps on the back of the mask and slowly reveals to Harley his identity.

Harley gasps in shock and runs away from the green mile in terror as the figure gives chase.

* * *

'Oh no...' Batman thought to himself as he watched the live feed on the monitor.

"Oooh! Lookie here!" The Joker howled with laughter as the feed switched to him. "Looks like Harley's got a little stalker! How cute! But forget about the kid, Lets make things a little more interesting and FUN!"

The Joker pressed a button on a remote followed by a high pitch whine of an alarm signaled the release of all the madmen of the cell block. "Lets see our strange friend, and you, deal with these wackos! Haha! Good luck bats!"

The mad howls grew louder as the madmen flooded into anarchy of Arkham Island. The Dark Knight wasn't surprised at the move Joker made, but the sight of the strange man in the trench coat rose some questions in his mind on the identity of the figure. But that was only secondary in his mind, his main cause was to stop the Joker before he could release his TITAN induced hoard of monsters on Gotham. With the codes to the security system he could finally cross every barrier the Joker could use against him.

All but one, Harley Quinn, if she wasn't killed by the figure brandishing the combat shotgun.

The thought of Harley blown to pieces by the shotgun made his stomach drop to the very pit of soul. He had to save her...

"_I have to save her, I can't let her die." _Batman thought to himself.

"Are we doing it because it's the right thing or because she might be the only one that understands me, or us in a sense." Bruce thought.

"_It doesn't matter if she understands us or not. What matters is the mission, you know that Bruce." _

"What if saving her is apart of the mission? What if saving her ends this siege, ends the violence, ends the cycle. If we could turn her over-"

"_Quinn will never turn over. She made her choice years ago, and you know this. The only people that can help her is the people of Arkham and the Police, If they can't help her than she is just as lost as the Joker, Harvey, and Selena." _The Dark knight interjected, but soon felt guilty by throwing Selena into the mix._  
_

"You say she's lost yet we worked with her on catching the Joker and the same is said for Selena. Both of them have a chance to be good, we just have to lend a hand to them." Bruce told him. "Every one deserves a redemption, just like us. Just like when we became the Dark Knight."

* * *

Harley managed to escape the marked one long enough to set up a few last minute traps for Batman. On the remaining security camera's she could see Johann running into the botanical gardens, Sean tracking him down, and Batman walking through the security door. A large smile raced across her face and her eye lite up like fireworks as he saw him coming.

"Alright bozos! Get ready for my first trick!" Harley barked as she leaped and flipped down toward the security floor.

"Tonight's the night Harleen!" Harley thought to herself with delight.

"_The night we end this stupid game?" _Harleen replied light heartily.

"Maybe! That or we off the bat and Mr J will be so happy for us that he'll marry me and we'll live happily ever after!" Harley told her euphorically as she did a cartwheel before approaching a alley that divided her from batman. The two sided Harley looked down the hall to see the Bat standing in the door way staring her down and the tied up security guard in the middle of the hall.

"_Can't we just give up now and not get'em mad?" _Harleen suggested.

"What ya never heard of foreplay?!" Harley chuckled to her other side before bowing to Batman with a dirty smirk.

"Ya know bats, I always thought their was a spark between us..." She said flirtatiously as she twirled her pigtail around her finger.

"_I could have told you that kiddo..." _Harleen replied with a giggle as Harley leaped up the caging to the catwalks above.

"And now there is!" She shouted as she kicked the control box to the pacification system, activating the floors and killing the guard. "I know you SHOCKED!" She laughed, leaving traces of truth in her taunts. "Come and get me bats, I double dare ya!"

Batman leaped into action without a second thought and began engaging every thug that came near him. With ease he defeated all you dared to challenge him as Harley rooted on her boys and nagged batman to take it ease on them as she sat on one of the large lights swinging. But Harley didn't care about the thugs, they were just grunts, and she enjoyed seeing Batman beat them into the dirt with his bare hands. It was strong and masculine like a gladiator taking on another in a fight to the death. In every fight she ever got into Batman he always gave it his all, but when it was one on one with her he would fight with only half of it. Gentlemanly in some sense, but in all cases he fought far and with honor. She never understood the meaning of Honor, the Joker never taught her about it, but she always over heard some form or another of it from some of the other inmates and 'Friends' she met in Arkham. Two-Face, or rather Harvey, spoke about it more than once on a few occasions and taught her about in some depth. Batman never fought dirty, always on a level playing field in some aspects unlike her Joker.

He goons bit the dust, as expected and Harley soon leaped from her post and through the security way toward the Extreme Isolation, tripping the electroshock field behind her to hold him off for the next trap. "Was that as easy as it looked?" She asked herself as she turned back to blow a kiss to Batman and lead him on further into the cell block.

* * *

Harley made a mad dash toward another trap she prepared for him, two guards bound over electrified pools of water in guard room. A large bomb with a few tanks of Joker Venom at on a timer for a little surprise for ol' B-man if he does manage to save both the boys.

"Ha! B-man won't be able to save those smucks! This is perfect!" Harley thought happily as she jumped up and down like a happy little girl.

"_You know he will..." _Harleen replied negativity.

"Hey! Quit being all Debbie downer and Bruno bummers depressing daughter all the time! This is why Mister J gladly open my eyes to a world of fun, so people like you wouldn't ruin the fun." Harley scold Harleen.

"_So your going to torture these guys for fun? So that we can just give up to B-Man with blood on our hands? How does any of this make any sense Harley? Tell me!_" Harleem scolded back. "_Let these guys go before Batman shows up, I'm tired of playing this game_!"

"Well if it isn't the Dork Knight himself!" Harley sang as Batman showed up right on time. "How's it hangin bats?"

"What are you planning Quinn?" Batman growled as he looked over at the two men hanging over.

"Oh nothin bats," She says in a bubbly tone with a giggle. "I just got a little problemo for ya. I know SHOCKING!" Harley then laid herself against the glass. "How you gunna save'em?" She asked in a cute and innocent tone.

"Your a puzzle Harleen." Batman says to her as he pulls out his newest toy, Cryptographic Sequencer, to deactivate the electricity.

"Where can I get me one of those?" She asks him as puts it away.

But Batman ignored her and cut down the two guards with ease to much of Harley dismay. "Your just full of surprises aren't you B-Man? What else do you got in that belt of yours?"

"I don't have time for questions Harleen." Batman told her coldly as he put away his gadget and turned to her as she stood behind the glass.

"Well I do! Why ya callin me Harleen? You never call me that unless it's something worth sayin." Harley and Harleen said in unison. "Spill it bats, I ain't got the time either."

"Where's Joker? I'm not asking again." Batman demanded.

"Don't you know how to treat a lady?" She said, flipping her hair nonchalantly as she slowly began to walk away. "I'll be in extreme isolation if you wanna talk. I would much rather talk in private." Harley gave a large smirk and pulled a tape recorder from her shirt and placed it on the table near by.

"Your the detective, why don't cha take a listin on my little tape over there and maybe you'll find some courage to drop that mask of yours." She said with a whisper as she kissed the glass where his lips might be. "You can trust me batsy."

"I hope your going to surrender Harleen. You know what will happen if you don't..." Batman warned her.

"Yeah... I heard those mercs talkin about the three ways out... I guess you'll find out which way I'm goin then?"

She was gone, but he knew where she was. Could he trust her was the question of the night and somewhere inside of him he could trust her. The joker toxin didn't activate so that must be a sign that she really wanted to talk. But for the last five years since he began life as Batman he learned never to drop his guard, not even for a moment or even when you trusted them. That was a lesson he learned the hard way with Selena and Talia when they turned on him.

"What was that about Batman?" One of the guards asked him, but revived no response as Batman opened the doors and left to chase down Harley. Before he marches on though he walks into the small office and retrieves the old tape recorder and plays the message Harley left for him...

He lists to it till the end and places it in his belt before pressing on. "_Why didn't she tell me before?" _

* * *

**_Botanical_ Gardens, 15mins Later.**

Johann threw Poison Ivy to the ground and dumped a bottle of rubbing alcohol over her body. Her plants tried to protect her, but Johann turned them into smoldering piles of ash with Firefly's flamethrower when ever they got close.

"Back off you fucker!" Johann shouted as he burned a massive vine trying to kill him. The plants kept their distance as the mad man with the flamethrower held their mother at gun point. "Now listen to me and listen to me good, Freak! I want your plants to search every fucking bit of this rock for that treasure or I'll turn you into a Joan of Arc in a moments notice. Got it bitch?!"

"She won't be helpin a thug like you bud!" The heavy voice of Sean shouted with Johann's own R5 Assault rifle in hand. "Hands where I can see'em and drop the blowtorch!"

Johann looked over to see the sopping wet Irishman only to snicker contemptuously as he reached for his heavy side iron. A burst of 5.56 ricocheted around his feet and soon he was forced to raise his hands in surrender. "You were always a self righteous moralist like that bat." Johann hissed.

"I ain't a moralist, just a man with a sense of right and wrong. Remember, we're both mercenaries here. We aren't exactly saints nor are we devils." Sean replied truthfully.

"Then why didn't you join with me and Edward?" Johann asked him. "If you are a Mercenary, can't you see the better opportunity before you? You could be rich-"

"I'm not a fucking opportunistic sow like you or Khaki, That's why!" Sean shouted as he pointed the rifle at Johann's head. "I came to be who I am because I had no where else to go! It was either this or the gallows, and I damn sure don't regret my decision! And I'm not lettin some opportunist take away the only life I have because he wants a treasure that is just a bunch of made up Bollocks!"

"It's not a story, My dear friend." A voice told him from above. To the men's surprise as figure in a brown trench coat descended on them from the glass ceiling. The figure landed on his feet and reached into his coat to give Johann an object rapped in a torn cloth of some kind.

"It's real... The Arkham Fortune is real."


	8. Chapter 7: Love

**_Coming close to the end my friends! I decided to make this Harley x Batman bit it's own chapter and then follow up back with the 9th Company. Alright, Their is going to be a chapter in this or in Part 2 of DNA where I explain the night in the Iceberg Tongue. It's a bit I'm working on right now so please wait for it and it will all come into the light._**

**_So Enjoy this :)_**

**_With Love ~Dresner_**

* * *

Harley await anxiously for the arrival of Batman in the control office of the extreme isolation wing of the penitentiary. She was happy, bursting with joy, an emotion that seemed very queer to have in such a soul crushing place. But she had her reasons, both sides did. Harley wished to trap Batman in here for mister J and to finally get the answers to the questions that her troubled mind have fought over for over three days. While Harleen saw this as an opportunity to end this mad life and begin the long road to a normal life and, hopefully, put herself back in control so she could redeem herself in the eyes of the world and in Bruce Wayne...

Both Harleen and Harley wanted the most out of this is to finally get a way out of this life she made for herself.

But Harley knew she had to make a good show for the Joker in order to get her break, to get her salvation from his hell. Yeah it involved a handful of Blackgate thugs and the electroshock floor, but ya gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet as Harley would say. The trap was set everything was perfect as the final piece of her plan came into play. From the security door came the Batman in all his down trodden glory with his bullet torn cape fluttering in the air as he stepped across the catwalk and onto the electroshock floor. She smiled as she hit the PA, "Here he comes mister J!" She sang as the Joker appeared on the large monitors above the security office with a round of hooting laughter as he congratulated Harley.

"Excellent, I leave it to you them my dear!" He chuckled as the monitor shut off leaving Harley in charge.

"B-man, I won't ask you again. Give up!" Harley said mockingly in a Batman style gruff.

"Harley, What is this all about? What's going on!?" Batman demanded from her sincerely. Harley and Harleen could sense the sincerity in his voice which threw her off guard, but she recovered quickly and answered back calmly.

"I wish I could say it up here Batsy, but first I got to play my part! Get'em!" She yelled as she opened the security doors that flanked the office. Harley and Batman expected to see another endless hoard of Blackgate thugs pour out of the doors like an open flood gate to a bursting dam. But instead of a flood of bloodthirsty convicts a river of dead and dying thugs fell onto the floor, their blood shorting out the floors below them rendering them as useless as the dead bodies.

"WHAT?!" Harley shouted into the PA as a figure pulled her from behind and out of view from Batman.

"NO!" Batman shouted as he grappled to the heavy glass to see the coated figure, The same figure that brought Sean and Astor to the boat only hours before, forcing Harley against the wall of the security office. His mask was gone to reveal a hairless man with a massive scaring around his cranium and stitching. She was pinned against the wall and struggled intensely as the man began smash her face against the wall. "ALLEN! STOP!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as he chucked. "HANDS OFF CREEP!" She shouted as she kneed him in the testicles and pushed him off as she made a break for the door. Batman dropped off the glass to the center door as Harley cartwheeled out the center door as Allen chased her through the door. The Dark Knight dropped down on him, snatched him into the air, and dropped him to the floor with only a couple of inches separated his head from smashing into the floor.

Allen only cursed and spat insults as he spun around on the cord. The blood rushing to his head manged to break the crude stitching on his skull giving a ghastly display of a man on his last leg. Harley swift delivered two or three kicks to his face and sides to make him suffer for trying to kill her or force himself on her. She cursed and swore until tears came streaming down her face and running her white face paint through her mask. A hand gripped her shoulder as she went for another strike but she turned to see Batman only shaking his head slowly in disapproval.

Harley couldn't think at all and only acted on anger and scorn. But something unexpected happened, she threw herself in Batman's arms and began to sob uncontrollably at the shame, the anger, and the over all whirlwind of fear and emotion that followed her ordeal. Through he didn't rape her, just the thought of it just sent her into a spiral. But Batman didn't care and let her sob on his shoulder. Her hands rapped around his sides and her head leaded perfectly on his shoulder. It was awkward for him, especially since this was the girlfriend and henchwoman of his mortal enemy the Joker.

"What is... What is this?" Batman asked himself as Harley rapped herself around him tighter. "Is she trying to-"

_"She isn't doing anything," _Bruce reassured him. "_She's hurt, she's traumatized from the ordeal. It was something like this that drove us to become who we are. We didn't have anyone, besides Alfred and Gordon, to help me. But you did and here we are. Do you remember in Blackgate when we saved her from the Joker? How distraught and cold she was after it all?"_

"What are you saying Bruce?" Batman asked his other side.

"_I'm saying it's time we better put our hand in this before something bad happens. After all is an innocent, a rather confused one, but non the less she is innocent_."

"She's a criminal, a thug, and a patsy to a terrorist." Batman stone walled the more trusting Bruce.

"_She was a doctor who tried to make a difference, a difference that we strive for._" Bruce countered. "_You heard her on the tape. She done with this and we're her only way out. Right now is the best time to take her up on this offer and she told us what we wanted to know for Five years since the Iceberg lounge." _

Batman looked to Harley and off to the side as he thought about what Bruce brought to mind. Not only that but what she said on her tape and even before that when he came to her in her cell only a few days ago. Did he really hate her? Could he bring himself to hate her?

Could he hate her for the crimes she committed in the name of making her 'Puddin' proud, For robbing and killing hundreds of banks and people, For betraying him when he gave her a chance give up her life as Harley and become Harleen again, or for leading Barbra to the Joker which lead to her becoming Oracle.

No, anyone can hate the crime, but not the criminal. But Batman was divided on the subject of Harley Quinn. She had everything going for her in the past, yet she threw it all away for some perverted version of Love...

Love, Ha! What is love? What is it to the Dark Knight? Love wasn't something that came easy to the Dark Knight. Their was Selena Kyle, Talia al Ghul, Andrea Beaumont. Those were only to name a few, but they had their cons. Selena was a thief, Talia only need him to forgo his oath not to kill, and Andrea... But it's best to keep old wounds closed rather than to open them. Even if it were possible to open his heart to another woman he feared that if the secret were to get out about his involvement with her would put her life in danger. He, nor Bruce, could afford to lose another loved one. But Bruce saw a different path, a brighter path. Maybe opening his world to Harley could not only change him, but change the Joker...

Maybe through all this Harley and him could end this struggle...

Harley despised herself as she wallowed in the arms of enemy. How could she do this to Joker? After all he's done for her...

"_All he's done?" _Harleen broke in. "_Beaten us, tortured us, left us to the whims of a thugs who haven't seen a woman in years, and left us to die when things went wrong? This 'Puddin' only see's us as a pawn! While this hunk is holding us like a baby doll..."_

Harley could feel Batman returning the embrace as his arms rapped around her waste as well. He was strong, yet so soft to the touch. She pressed herself against him more and began to smile as he gave a warm 'Mhmmm' of approval as their bodies touched like perfect circles. Harley and Harleen held the embrace for what seemed to hours before Batman spoke up.

"Are you ok?" He asked in a normal and caring tone of Bruce Wayne.

Harley looked over to the side nervously as bit her lip a little. "Yeah... A little..." She respond as she looked to the floor in shame.

Batman's hand graced her chin and moved her to eye level, "Are you sure Harleen?" He asked again.

She smiled and rapped her arms around him, "Yeah... Thanks to you Bats." She said in a delighted and carefree whisper.

"No problem..." Batman said as she looked up at him with her big blue eyes from her mask with a smirk.

Harley giggled, "I've never seen you smile before."

"Well I..." Batman took back control and soon formed back into the statue of cold that was The Dark Knight. "Harleen, I need to know where Joker is." He demanded.

Harley gave a sigh, "Always right to business, Eh B-Man?"

"Harleen-"

"When did you start calling me Harleen bats?" She interjected with a playfully.

Batman reached into his belt and pulled the tape recorder that Harley left for him in the guard room. "Since I found this."

Harley smiled a bare tooth smile at the sight of her tape in his hand, but it soon disappeared as she asked "What do you think of me since you listened to my tape?"

The Dark Knight put the tape away and took Harley in his arms, and kissed her warmly. Harley giggled up the steaks with her tongue as they fought for dominance in their mouths as their souls connected in a fiery embrace that shook each other to the very core of their bodies. It was Bruce's and Harley's first encounter with someone of the opposite sex in months, yet the two never skipped a beat as Harley rapped her legs around him and Bruce's hand corseted her ass gently as the kiss began to shift to the next level.

But Batman broke off the kiss and held Harley in his arms for a brief moment before putting her down. Harley was a little annoyed, but she understood a little. The moment was a little awkward for the two but soon Harley reached into her shirt and gave him the 'Party list'. "Joker's in the Botanical gardens with the TITAN gunk. Look for the strange looking rocks, you'll know what I mean, and type in the code for the terminal. It's rigged so watch ya self Batsy." She said with a dreamy smirk.

Bruce smiled and took the list from the happy Harlequin. "Thank you Harleen." He said with a slight grin as Harley kissed him once more and whispered "Call me Harley, everyone does."

"Sure Harley." He replied as he returned the kiss before his smirk disappeared again. "Your not safe here Harley Especially with someone like him around." Batman told her, referring to Allen.

"He wasn't all bad." Harley defended him. "I don't know what drove him to do all this..." Harley walked over toward Allen and pulled the coat off of him. But something sent a shock through her system as the coat revealed a brace and pants just like the mad men that infested Arkham Asylum. Batman soon came over and to his surprise saw stitching around his ears that appeared loose and fresh. On closer examination he found that the skin around his eyes were uneven and unnatural by any standard.

"This isn't that Boer." Batman assured her. "This was a lunatic with a crude skin graft of your friends face..."

"So he's still at large..." Harley's said as her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

"Not for long." Batman reassured her as he began his way to the door.

"Batman!" Harley called to him before he left out the door. "Are you going to get me out of this after you lock away Mister J?"

"You have my word as a man Harley" He said in a calm tone as the door opened in front of him.

"And B-man!" Harley called to him once more, this time making him turn around. "I love you." She says in the purest of tones with the largest of smiles.

"I love you too Harleen." Batman smiles as he continues on to his mission with a breath of fresh air.


	9. Chapter 8: Fear

_**Fair warning to you all, It's about to get very very Dark. **_

_**I warned you.**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

Johann dropped to his knees in shock at the bombshell in his hands: A 24k Gold bar from 1813. The Arkham Fortune was possibly worth over 2.2 Billion Dollars today, That if it were real. But the shear weight of the bar in his hands confirmed the rumors, the stories, the Legend. He caressed the bar in his hands like a precious kitten or a lover while running his fingers in the proof marks of bar as if it were foreplay.

In a blink of an eye, Johann put the ingot on his mutilated forearm and drew his pistol on the masked figure in the coat. "Where are they?" He demanded from the figure as his teeth grinned against one another.

"Follow me..." He responded in a distorted and eerie voice as he began toward the exit.

"No dice pal." Sean interjected as he took his aim off of Johann and on to the figure. "This Git is getting what he deserves if it kills me."

The figure didn't turn and only paused for a brief moment to reply with "The Boer will receive the correct gift for his work, I assure you dear Disney."

* * *

_**Sewers under Arkham Island, 2 hrs later-**_

Johann followed the figure closely to get away from Sean. The Irishman only came to watch him and made sure he didn't escape. But Johann didn't care, He had other plans for Sean once he found his gold. The figure would face the same fate as well...

The sewers below Arkham were over a hundred years old, but decay was no where to be seen on the brick and mortar sewer tunnels. The cat walks were new but ill maintained and rusting profusely, some even falling into the murky and disgusting sewage water that Killer Croc called his home. The trio was careful not to fall into the water or else faced being sucked into the current and into the icy Gotham river or to be eaten by Killer Croc. Each manor of death wasn't painless nor was it the most ideal way of dying. The figure lead them deeper and deeper into the sewers until coming across a derelict hallway protected by Iron bars and a simple pad lock.

He stopped at the face of the gate and pulled out an old iron skeleton key from his coat and held it in front of Johann's face. "I must warn you, good sir, no one has had the honor of seeing my treasure..."

Johann ignored him completely and swiped the key from the man's hand, "Out of my way pig." He grunted as he hastily unlocked the irongate door.

"Ah-tat-ta," The figure interjected, waving his finger. "I must warn you of the others who tried to-"

Johann drew his gun and pointed it in the man's face, "Quit Stalling." He groaned. Sean stepped in with rifle in hand ready to send Johann back to hell, but the figure chuckled and rose his hand to unlock the door for him.

"Let me help you, dear friend." He told him as he turned the key and the padlock dropped to the ground with a loud thump that echoed around the sewer. A small line of crude light bulbs barely lighting the way down a seemingly endless hallway awaited Johann.

"Through here my dear." The figure told him as he open and held the door for him.

Johann stared down the figure ominously as he slowly walked through the gate without saying a word. The Boer heard the gate close behind him as soon as he made it passed the thresh hold, "If you live through this their will be a boat waiting for you, Good Luck!"

With that Johann pressed on into the darkness with only the dim light of the fading bulbs lighting his way and the heavy Desert Eagle to protect him. The small tunnel made him nervous, if anything went wrong in some place like this then death would be quick and brutal. The heavy caliber and slow rate of fire of the .44 D-eagle insured a quick death if the shot hit it's mark. If not then you'll be reluctant to fire a second shot if your wrist wasn't broken from the first shot. But the thing that unnerved him the most was how far apart the lights began to be the farther he traveled down the tunnel. His heart began to race as the light from the end of the tunnel disappeared behind him and only the light of the dim bulbs were the only thing left around him. Everything was dark, dank, and over all empty as the floors turned into only pools of dim light.  
His heart began to race as his imagination got the better of him and soon the eerie cracks and moans turned into roars of demonic beasts. He ran, ran faster than he ever did in his life, like his life depended on it. The growls and roars became louder and louder as he ran through the light terrified of what was chasing him. The lights began to blow out as he passed through them... He ran and he until finally everything around him turned into total darkness...

Darkness...

Soul crushing Darkness...

With his good hand he flicked on his lighter, chasing the darkness as well as his nightmares away briefly as he continued on into the unknown. Hours, even days seemed to pass by in the depths of the halls as he moved on. The growling and hissing ceased and not even the sound of water droplets or the sound of his footsteps broke the silence. To a solider, Silence was two things: Peace and a Warning. When your in a forest, the bush, or in the jungle silence was a death sentence. If the forest was quiet then something was watching you, something big and mean. But in a urban or tunnel like environment it was a little less frightening and ominous. But here in this... This... This place, Silence was something you never wanted to hear.

After the hellish roars behind him, he became all the more paranoid once about the dark. Silence and darkness were a predators best friend, as was the little bit of light Johann needed to see. He placed his hand on where he thought the wall was and near fell before catching himself.

"_Wat het gebeur met die mure? (What happened to the walls?"_ Johann whispered to himself as he looked around himself for the walls. But fear immobilized him as he feet felt like two heavy stones weighing him down. His mind must be paying tricks on him, The darkness always plays with someone's mind...

Scratching of talons across concrete ripped his train of thought into atoms as he dropped his lighter onto the ground and destroying the last refuge of security in Johann's mind and whits. He drew his gun and fired into the darkness at the source of the sound, but the muzzle flashes revealed nothing but a large empty room ruffly the size of a massive dining room with three doors on the far sides and a empty wall behind him.

Confused, afraid, and disoriented by the sudden change of environment Johann found his courage, or rather his greed, to start his way to one of the doors.

"Maybe this is a security trick or something..." Johann thought, remembering the old Indian Jones movies he bought from a black market dealer in Qatar for entertainment when he wasn't on patrol, in a whore house, or stealing from the locals. Shoving his gun into his belt as he reached the first door he took a deep breath and prepared for the worst... But what he heard behind the door wasn't ominous at all...

Just... Laughter...

He swung open the door and was greeted by a storm of bright white lights. The Boar quickly drew his pistol from his belt as he rushed into the room ready for a fight, but instead he only found a room full of mirrors and a figure of a malnourished man standing in the middle of the room spinning around in a circle with the brightest of smiles as he gazed at his refection in the vast sea of mirrors. Mirrors covered the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling was coated with mirrors with only small, yet powerful, LED lights to light the room. There were no beds, chairs, windows, or even a toilet for this man.

The man in question didn't even look like a man or even human, just a walking skeleton with skin stretched over bone. He looked terrible to Johann, yet the man was laughing cheerfully and smiling as if it was the best day on earth.

"Who... What... What are you?" Johann asked the figure in front of him. The figure turned to him and with in an instant the cheerful laughing turned into a high pitched wail that shattered most of the mirrors in the room as it echoed through out the room. Johann throws his hands over his ears to muffle the screams of the mad man but it didn't work as the screaming came through without falter. The screaming tore through his ears like a gun shot and caused his ears to literately bleed through his hands until he finally ran out of the room slamming the door shut behind him which finally silenced the man's hellish screams.

He could feel the blood from his ears dripping down his hands and onto his wrists, but the darkness showed no mercy as the growling returned to destroy his brief second of peace. A scratching sound came from the door in front of him drew him closer to escape the animistic growling around him. He crawled away at first before staggering to his feet as he ran through the darkness to escape the ominous growling.

Johann trips, crashing through a door into another brightly lit room with another figure standing in the middle of the room, this time painting on a canvas with a paint brush. He roles on to his feet and draws his pistol at the man in the room as he painted on his canvas without interruption, almost ignoring bleeding Johannes as he struggled to his feet with gun in hand. Johann struggled to hold the heavy pistol in his hands as the disorientation and blindness from rushing from the darkness to blinding light combined with the heavy bleeding from his ears made even breathing a chore.

"What... What is... WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!" He screamed to the man painting in the center of the room. The man did not turn and only painted a picture of a skull and cross bones on the canvas. Johann shouted and shot the easel and canvas until he could take the brutal recoil of his gun in his weakening body. The man slowly turned around to face him...

But instead of a face, only a blank surface appeared...

Johann screamed at the top of his lungs until his vocal cords began to burn with agony until the faceless man sucker punched him back into the darkness. His face ripped across the floor until blood dripped into his eye and burning his retinas until he let out one last soul shattering scream. The vocal cords burst, leaving his voice to be nothing but heavy blood spitting wheeze. His ears still dripped blood but still functioned perfectly even after the wild shooting of his .44 and the ear shattering screams of the mirror man. The growling returned and once again his fear filled mind urged him to escape toward the safety of the final door, but his body was to weak and laid on the floor in a pool of his own blood as the growling became louder and louder.

He began to cry as the growls closed in on him...

Suddenly he was thrown head first through the finally door into another extremely bright room, but he doesn't get up, choosing to lay in a pool of blood and tears with a broken spirit. The heavy footsteps of men along with the growling came close and closer to him as he laid on the floor.

"No... NO! NOT LIKE THIS! NOT TO THE JACKALS AGAIN! PLEASE PLEASE! PLEASE!" He tried to shout in his wheezing voice as the sight of a Jackal headed figure and three other figures in masks and white cloaks surrounded him. Johann closed his only good eye...

Took out his pistol...

Placed it under his chin...

and Pulled the trigger...

A loud click echoed through the room... The gun was empty...

The figures removed their masks to reveal the face's of his wife, child, and father their faces disfigured and torn from a viscous mauling by wild dogs. They all smiled including the Jackal faced figure before piling onto him...

* * *

Sean watched in horror as Johann stood like a zombie only two foot steps from the door, his hand pressing his pistol against chin with a loud clicking being heard from the empty gun as he pulled the trigger repeatedly. His good eye had rolled into the back of his skull after he stopped screaming, that was five soul shattering minutes ago. The traitorous Boer finally fell backwards with enough force to crack his skull, killing him instantly with in a matter of seconds.

The Irishman looks at the masked figure near him fearfully as he brandished his assault rifle at the figures face. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU DO TO EM?!" He demanded at the top of his lungs.

The figure only chuckled from under the gas mask, "I did nothing. It was his sins, rather the realization of what he became, that killed him. Johannes Goosen was not his real name, Charles Cull was his actual name and a professional thief and solider for hire was his game. This man fed his own wife, father, and child to a pack of rabbi dogs for a case of diamonds in Algeria, Greed forced him to commit the most brutal of acts..." The figure then turned his back to Sean and placed his hands behind his back. "And it was Greed that brought about the brutal murder of his soul... The Arkham Fortune is not real, only a story that children tell to one another when laying in their beds at night. Even if my fortune was real it would have gone to my son rather than sit in this accursed place where madness roams like a plague..."

Sean couldn't fathom what the figure was saying and stuck to his instincts and pressed the rifle at the figures back, "WHO ARE YOU?!" He shouted.

The figures hands rose to his face and removed the hood and mask from his face to reveal strains of dark red or auburn hair of an older gentleman. The figure turned around to reveal the face of a older man with a receding hair line and the eyes of a mad man. Sean dropped his gun in shock as he recognized the face of the figure... He had seen the pictures of him with in the Asylum and the library... It could be him... It wasn't possible...

"My name is Amadeus Arkham and you have seen to much, my boy..." The figure told him as tiny horns began to break through his forehead as he pushed Sean into the sweeping current of the sewer system...


	10. Chapter 9: Against the Ionized Odds

_**Wooh! Last chapter was a Dark one eh? Well that's only a taste of what I can do. Yeah it was brutal, but hey that's the fun part right? So is the smut and violence. This chapter I'm tackling the classic 'What if' for Harley and Joker as well as introducing a new OC that will be a key factor in Part 2. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

"Hey your not on the list Har-" The goon at the door was quickly cut to pieces by a long burst of .223 Remington by Harley's AR-15. She kicked down the door and began hosing down the rest of the welcoming committee with the remains of the Beta-C drum she loaded into her weapon as walked through the door. She took a long drag off her cigarette as the last of the Blackgate thugs guarding the visitation center fell in a hail of bullets from her AR-15. She strolled through the river of blood from the fallen thugs as if it were nothing but a puddle. She tossed the AR into a booth and took her cigarette out of her mouth to exhale a cloud of smoke as if she were a Valkyrie coming down from the heavens to bring the souls of the fallen back to Valhalla.

But she wasn't here to bring just any soul to Valhalla...

What she didn't tell Batman was that the Joker had one card up his sleeve if his plan failed utterly and completely, That plan being to fight the Dark Knight head to head in a TITAN fueled battle to the death.

But Harley knew this would never go according to plan, things with Joker never did. Her time in the Suicide Squad taught her that the first thing to die in any mission was the plan. But two people in her life taught her to always have a back up plan...

She brought a cell phone to her ear and called an old friend from her days in Suicide Squad...

"_Was wünschen sie? (What do you want?)" _The voice of a man speaking in German responded on the other line.

"Speak English! Your not in the Squad anymore, Are you?" Harley asked her old friend.

"HA! Not anymore, That beast of a woman Waller forgot to plant the bomb in my brain, Stupid cow, and now I'm free lance with Coldwater international. You and that boyfriend of yours really fucked up Arkham! You know what this means right?" The figure chuckled as the sound of Helicopters echoed around the building.

"I know-"

"SHIT IS ABOUT TO GET BROKEN!" The man laughed madly into the phone, much to Harley's annoyance.

"Your still fucking crazy Diesel." Harley snickered at the craziness of her old friend 'Diesel', a Swedish mercenary with a notch for Firearms that only matched Deadshot. The two use to be close friends until he went AWOL and killed several of the Assassins who tried to bring him back to Waller. But that didn't seem to stop him from going rogue and working as a gun for hire. Harley didn't know much about Diesel, let alone his real name, but what she did know was that he was once a gang leader and later a mercenary that worked along side his unknown and unnamed brother. He use to speak very highly of his brother and always told of funny moments with his brother until he captured during a mission to North Korea. He disappeared around that time, but later returned without a word said. She later found him before she and the Suicide Squad attacked Arkham two years ago.

"So says the psychiatrist turned psychopath! Fe!" Diesel taunted her playfully. "Hows your boyfriend? You still kicking it with the Joker?"

Harley bit her lip and paused for a moment to answer his question. After expressing herself on the tape, making out with Batman, and telling him she loved him, did she still love the Joker? Or does Harleen love Batman and Harley love Joker? It was all to confusing for her to process in a simple way.

"Uhhh goin... You know..." She laughed to play it off before taking a deep breath to regain her thoughts. "But that's not the point. Joker has gone haywire and trying to make an army of monsters for Gotham. I don't want any of this to go through and I don't want B-man to get hurt! So can you get some guys together before this goes any farther! Got me?!"

"Whatever. ETA is about twenty seconds. Anything I need to know?" Diesel asked Harley as she reached the main cell block where Batman was battling the hoard of Blackgate thugs and two TITAN fueled beasts while the Joker watched from a massive throne of gag toys.

"It's some really hairy business Diesel... A war is goin on..." She said in awe as Batman finished off one of the TITAN Beasts without breaking a sweet.

"War is my business and business is good, baby doll." Diesel said in a cocky tone before hanging up the phone.

Harley ignored his endearing pet name for her and sat cross legged on the ground as she watched Batman fight against seemingly hopeless out numbered odds against another TITAN beast and another wave of guards. The Knight stood fast and fought ferociously against all odds as thug after thug fell to his timed blows and rhythmic attacks. It was almost a symphony of some kind that was orchestrated by a master conductor as he flowed from crook to creep without skipping a beat knocking the teeth out of their skulls until the smaller thugs fell to the ground defeated and unconscious. The last TITAN beast stood ominously in the center of the room, stepping on the dead corpses of fallen guards and thugs the Joker shot out of pure fucking meanness. A disfigured and gruesome smile broke from the mindless and aloof face of the monstrous thug as he crushed the skull of a dead man like melon in a steel press.

The Dark Knight did not flinch as the gorilla like monster beat his mammoth fists against his chest and growled like a pompous lion. The beast charged forward in one last fanatical attack toward Batman. But a sharp crack from behind dropped the TITAN thug to the ground sending his lifeless body across the ground in a streak of blood before coming to halt at Batman's feet.

The distinctive click of a hammer locking into place on a revolver echoed through the room around Batman as the intimidating barrel of a S&amp;W M500 revolver loomed on him from atop the massive mound of gag toys. Smoke oozed from the chrome barrel as the Joker put the large gun back into his belt and stood at attention with a dissatisfied gaze toward the hallway where Batman first emerged only moments before.

"HARLEY!" He screamed as he drew his TITAN dart gun. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF BATMAN ARE YOU DOING HERE!? YOU WERE REMOVED FROM THE PARTY LIST! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE ME!? ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF THE BOYS AND THE BAT!" He screamed as he brandished the TITAN gun in his hands toward Harley.

"BUT MISTER J!" Harley screamed back in protest as he descended from the throne and began rant and raving at the top of his lungs at Harley as Batman clenched his fists as he tried to contain the rage boiling under his cold exterior.

"I work, I slave, and I even hold out on beating you into a bloody pulp just to show how nice of a guy I am. YET YOU ALWAYS DISOBEY ME! YOU ALWAYS FAIL ME!" He screamed as he ignored Batman completely and focused completely on Harley. "Not only that... But I saw you... Oh did I see you... I saw you fondling with HIM!" Joker shouted as he approached her and struck her with the gun sending her to the floor. With in the same sentence Batman struck the Joker and threw him across to separate them from each other. He ran to Harley's aid as the Joker recovered on the ground with the taste of blood fresh in his mouth. To the Jokers horror and surprise he saw the Dark Knight, the stone like figure who showed no form of emotion besides contempt, holding his Harlequin in his scared and bleeding arms as she laid motionless in her arms after his merciless pistol whipping.

"Harley?" Batman asked her as she slowly came to with the taste of blood in mouth, a well known and strangely welcoming taste in her mouth.

"My Puddin knows me to well." She said in a heavenly tone as she spat the blood on the ground near them and gave a large aloof smile as she fainted from joy, or at least Harley did.

"You know Bats, I always knew the kid had something for ya." Joker chuckled. "But what woman doesn't? The Ghul girl, Kitty Cat, Batgirl, and now Harleen Quinnzel? Ho-Ho! Aren't you just a regular man of the town! But whats a ladies man like you with out some BIG MUSCLES to go with that BIMBO of yours!"

Joker aimed his TITAN gun at Batman and fired, sending a dart toward him with enough TITAN to turn him into a beast the likes of Bane.

"NOOOO!" Harleen screamed as she awoke from the trance and threw Batman to the ground before the Dart hit him.

Joker growled and drew the revolver from his belt, "YOU'VE DONE IT NOW KID!" He screamed as he took aim at Harley.

"FUCK YOU CLOWN!" Harleen screamed as she took one of the Batarangs from the Dark Knights belt and threw it with all her might at the Joker. The rang flew through the air and knocked the gun out of his sickly hands sending it scratching across the floor. The clown princess of crime leaped to her feet to a mad dash as the Joker charged forward to retrieve his gun. Harley was quick in her platforms, but soon tripped and slide forward into first place as she swept up the gun and swiped the Joker across the face with heavy framed revolver in retribution. The Joker feel to the ground like a sack of hammers with a laugh as he starred Harley down from the floor.

A ominous chuckle filled the room as he slowly got to his feet only to be met with the barrel of his own gun placed firmly at his face by a vengeful Harlequin. "Hands up clown!" Harleen growled in a militant tone, throwing all signs of the Harley he knew into the dust.

But the Joker only chuckled darkly as he slowly grabbed the gun and placed it on his forehead. "Rap your hands tightly around the grip my dear... I Don't want you to break those fragile hands of yours." He said with the same sly tone he used on her in Blackgate years ago. The voice awoke Harley from the deep sleep the Joker put her in as it did once before, but was met by stiff resistance from Harleen.

_"NO! Not this time bitch!" _Harleen shouted in her mind at Harley as she tried to take back control as the gun began to shiver in her hands.

"YOUR NOT HURTING MISTER J!" Harley fought back. "HE. LOVES. ME! He just admit it! He hurts me cause he loves me! B-Man just wants to break us apart! He's jealous because of the love we have!"

With Harley's fanatical words she forced herself back in control and tossed the gun away so she could kiss the Joker. "PUDDIN!" She yelled like a happy child as she lips pressed against his red lips in a fiery passion that was only met by a cold and emotionless lips. Her fire hissed away like a fire in a snow storm, going out with a wimpier as the Joker threw her to the ground and kicked her in the ribs.

"Don't call me Puddin." He hissed as he turned to his arch enemy. "Sorry about that Bats. Some times you gotta keep the woman in line, you know what I mean? Now! Where were we? AH YES! TIME TO START THE PARTY!"

Harleen watched as Joker revealed Gordon on a noose and began a tie raid of witty banter with Batman. She was drained of energy from her fight with Harley and the pain from beating the Joker gave her. She smirked as she remembered the .32 revolver in her boot and slowly reached for the pistol before the Joker noticed her again.

The cylinder only held one bullet, the bullet she would use if the Joker died. Harley always knew deep down that one day the Joker would one day bite the bullet or Batman would finally snap and kill him, But those days were just a slim as her figure. But one day he would die and Harley could never imagine what life would be like if he was gone and he only response would have to be just as radical as her relationship with the Joker...

This time the bullet wasn't for her final good bye, but to bring an end to all of nightmares the Joker brought about to the world, to Batman, to Gotham, to Her...

She lifted the gun in her hands and to careful aim at the Joker's face, wanting to put the bullet right between his eyes just like he did to Bud and Lou. He was a sick dog who learned to kill and once a dog knows how to kill, he'll kill again and will keep doing it until you put him down.

This dog has seen to many days and it was time for the Doctor to put him down. She locked the hammer in place and held the gun tightly in her hand as the sights drew closer and closer to his skull.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HARLEEN?!" Harley screamed to Harleen as the sights matched perfectly with the Jokers skull

"_Killing the Joke..." __  
_

* * *

_**Moments Later...**_

Barley alive and nearly drowning in the arctic waters and the sheer stench of sewage, Sean's body was thrown onto the shore by the current of the Gotham River and onto the sand of a forgotten beach on the far side of Arkham Island. He drug his freezing body across the ruff sand and pebble stone beach with the remains of his strength with each hands until the feeling numbness took over his hands. Exhaustion was setting in, as was shock from the freezing water and sewage. His hands, feet, ears, and face felt as if they were devoid of all life as the blood in his body rushed toward his heart and lungs. He rolled into a ball in the sand in hopes of conserving body heat, but all he could do was lay on his back in shock and disbelief at the events that transpired this night. The betrayal, the Brutal take over, the greed, and the death... The unnecessary death on both sides...

The image of the Joker on the monitors was burned into his mind, as was his laughter, but what struck the Irishman the most about the take over was not just the Joker's incessant need for chaos but the insanity the dwell in the minds of everyone in the Asylum. For months he and his comrades worked with the guards and doctors to avoid something as big as this uprising, for months they trained, for months they stock piled, and for what?

For a select few to betray their coworkers, comrades, and friends only to be betrayed themselves by the man who was known for his lies?

Arkham held no truth, only a mountain of lies piled on top of the countless mounds of the dead and dying.

Time was running out for the people of Gotham as they put their hope in the hands of few mad men. The blinkered greed of a few and the quest for dominance caused this massacre. Through his scope Sean saw the brutality of the Thugs, the guards, and his own team. Aimless brutality lead the thugs and the cowardliness of the Arkham guards lead to the countless lives being lost here on this Island.

One of them being that of his commander the so called 'Johannes Goosen', Charles Cull, and his make believe life. But that doesn't matter to the Irishman as he turned over on his back in the sand as he stared aimlessly into the night sky. The thief was dead and as the spirit of Arkham put it 'Was killed by the realization of what he turned into.' Sean was a catholic and believed whole heartily in the existence of a god and the devil, good and evil as well as purgatory. If the figure who drove Johann or Charles to madness was the Doctor Arkham, what is trapping him here? Why hasn't he passed over to the other side?

Was he stuck here because of the evil and madness that seems to float above the Island? Or was this evil meant to be here?

The earth below him shook violently until every ounce of sand and pebble was bouncing into the air around him. A gigantic vine shot into the sky and slammed near him, throwing him into the air and landing on his stomach as more vines shot out of the ground and crashing into the ground indiscriminately. The Irishman pounced to his feet and tried to run away from the feral plants as they took root into the earth and toward the Gotham River. Sean ran as fast as he could, dodging the falling vines as he ran toward a small light breaking out of the darkness in the distance. Adrenalin and self preservation fueled his dash as he leaped over the vines as they shot out of the earth as he managed to make it into a shallow collection of dead trees toward the shining light in the distance.

Darkness engulfed the dead forest as a massive storm cell blocked out the moon and stars above, leaving the strange light in the distance his last hope of escaping the vines. Suddenly small almost insignificant green lights began to race across the length of the vines and soon they turned into viper like creatures hissing as they slithered across the ground. The trees sprouted the same eerie and estrange lights that soon transformed them into violent beasts and began slashing at Sean with their branches. The seemingly dead forest sprout to life everywhere around him as he ran toward what seemed to be his salvation...

The last light of hope in this island of madness...

A mutated tree threw him to the ground with one power swipe of his branch, his face and body racing across the ground until finally coming to a halt near another hostel oak tree. A large branch swiped past him, but missed by only a hair as mutated vines stormed across the dark floor as small traces of tiny green lights closed in on the disorientated Sean. He reached into his belt and to his shock found that his pistol was washed out of this holster by the sewer along with the rest of his weapons and bullets.

This was it... He was going to die here... Like Johann, Like Edward, Like Boles,

Like Allen...

"_Daar het jy dit teef! (Their you have it bitch!)" _A cheery voice shouted as the rattle of a combat shotgun broke the hissing and slaughtered the vines in a whirlwind of 'Dragons Breath' bullets, burning them as they screamed in pain. A figure with a head lap and slouch hat ran to Sean and threw him over his shoulder with a chuckle, "You never run out of enemies, eh brother?!" The heavy Afrikaner accented figure chuckled as he fired his Saiga with one hand at more vine vipers.

"Allen!" Sean shouted in relief as his friend brought him to his feet and handed him a blacked out Colt .45 and Night vision goggles

"Ja Ja I know, Thanks for saving me but lets fucking go!" Allen hurried him as he urged him to run with him toward the light.

"Where are we?!" Sean asked him as they ran through the living forest.

"The gates of fucking hell! Arkham North I think!" Allen replied with a chuckle as he fired upon on coming vines, emptying another ten shot magazine.

Sean chuckled and fired into the darkness at the vines. "Where ever we are that bitch Poison Ivy has a hand in this piss up!"

"What makes you say that?! The gigantic plants or the man eating trees?!" Allen remarked as he loaded a 20 round drum into his shotgun as the legged it closer to the light and out of the clutches of the possessed forest.

"Both! This Forest looks fucking Brutal! Even for Ivy's taste!" Sean shouted as a loud scream broke through the darkness around them, sending the plants and vines into a ferocious frenzy of thrashing, attacking everything around them including themselves, until finally dying as Sean and Allen jumped through a collection of bushes until crashing through a small gate and landing in at the front gate of Arkham Asylum.

Cheating death for what seemed to be the first or second time, Allen shot off the lock to the Asylum gate and preceded through with Sean.

"How in gods good name did you life through this?" Sean asked him frankly.

Allen smirked, "A bit of luck and a little french finery." Allen said as he threw him the flask Astor gave to him. "The thugs tried to feed my to Killer Croc, but Croc old boy wasn't to happy when I douched his eyes with this frenchy drink! Then it was just a long way to the top threw the sewers and a little tapering with the security system got me into the armory and then into the medical ward where I washed the sewage and blood off of me, as well as pick up my gear from where that clown bitch beat the piss out of me. I found Dr. Young and Khaki... Damn shame what happen to'em."

Sean threw the flask away and gave a scowl, "Khaki and Johann, or should I call him by his real name of Charles, tried to off us and steal some fools gold in the sewer. The bastard wasn't nothing but a motherless pig shite eaten coward, a Thief, and a murdering arse face. But that's only the tip of the iceberg and I won't go into detail..." He said as he let out his hand to welcome back his brother in arms to the land of the living. "All negatives aside, It's grand to have you back and thanks for the fancy shooter."

Allen shook his brother's hand with a smirk, "Anytime brother and for their case, they had it coming..." Allen became noticeably quiet for a bit and asked how did Johann or Charles die.

"What kill'em? Johann anyways..."

"Realization of what he turned into." Sean replied coldly as the rumble of helicopter engines from above caught their attention as news choppers thundered above them. Sounds of sirens and the looming image of a Black MI-24 gunship and two MI-8 transports appeared in the sky heading toward Arkham.

"Looks like we got more guests coming to the party." Sean commented as the Russian made Coldwater International Choppers divided up with one MI-8 'Hip' transport going to Arkham East and another to Arkham West, most likely loaded with a platoon sized force each of Mercenaries to take back the prison. The massive Black Mi-24 'Hind' landed in the large opening between the Intensive treatment ward and the long cobblestone drive way to unload a force of eight or ten men to retake the ward. Jean-Baptiste Astor appeared in the platoon and rushed over to his comrades, "Your Alive! Both of you are alive!" He cheered in jubilation as the Hind took off back into the sky.

"I thought you two were dead!" Jean declared.

"Awe Froggy, you got some faith in us eh?" Sean joked to his friend, happy to see that he to survived the ordeal. "When did the reds get involved?" He said referring to the Russian made coppers.

"Well after you disappeared I had to do something and the Joker was planning something bit," Jean smirked, "So I brought something bigger."

The police and SWAT teams flooded out of the gates and began to deploy from North Arkham on a mission to find certain people including Police Commissioner Gordon and Warden Sharp. The two informed him of Edward and Johann's deaths including his past to which the Frenchman replied "It doesn't surprise me" before the order came down from their supervisors to aid in the retaking of Arkham Asylum.

"Same shit different day it seems." Sean snorted as the Hind fired two smoke rockets at the roof as a monstrous figure appeared on the roof clutching the Dark Knight and Harley in his massive clawed hands. A massive plane flew over head and over the Asylum dropping a lone figure from it's cargo bay.

"Fuck... me..." The trio said in unison as the sight of a grotesquely mutated Joker as he flexed pompously atop the roof as the news copters circled like vultures around a freshly deceased corpse, unaware that death was coming to him closer than he could fathom...


	11. Chapter 10: Dawn's Light

_**Alright everyone, after this is the Epilogue. This has been one of the most popular stories this month with over 200 views in only 7 days! WOW! **_

_**Right now everything is going great in the world of Ideas and even better since I signed up with the US Army! I'm a tanker! And now I would like to say thank you all for reading my story, reviewing, favoriting, and following DNA Part 1. Part 2 is coming soon and it will be a blast for everyone especially since I added some new, or should I say revamped OC's from writer's past. Enjoy this everyone and please! Read and Review!**_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

The Joker breathed deeply as his body amalgamated to the TITAN drug's effects on him. He grew to the size of a large semi truck with muscles that rivaled that of Bane and Killer croc. His skin was torn in some place revealing bloody bone and a large line of spinal columns running down his back like a prehistoric beast only to the already gruesome figure that was the Joker. Rips and sores oozed a strange mixture of blood and TITAN crossed his body and down his shredded purple striped shorts down to his disgusting face and razor like claws at the ends of his fingers. A gigantic green Mohawk shot from his bald head like a defiant peacock showing off to it's mates and to the circling camera's of the news choppers above.

"Show time Batman!" Joker shouted to Batman as he tossed him into the arena and turned his gaze to Harley. "You think you can just off me during my show?! Well kid you got some guts so I'm going to give you a front row seat for this one." He said as he placed Harley into another electric chair near commissioner Gordon, locking her in place automatically and sending volt after volt into her body at random.

Waves of electricity pulsed through her fragile body as she watched in horror as the Joker swiped at Batman with his massive claws. She let out a scream of protest and terror as loud as she could as he knocked Batman down with one hard blow, sending him flying across the ground

"YOU DISGUSTING MONSTER!" The Harlequin yelled at the Joker as he cackled and chuckled as Batman dodged his strikes. "YOU DISGUSTING CREEP! I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS CLOWN! A-A-AHHHHHH!"

The Joker turned his back to Batman to face his Harlquin as she fought in her restraints until her wrists began to rub raw. "Oh Harley dear you look so tired! You need a SHOCK to your system, I can't have you falling asleep on me!" He said as he signaled his goon to activate the electric chair, sending over 2000 volts into her body once more to punish her for almost killing him. The volts finally stopped and Harley only gazed at him with contempt as she tried to recover from the blasts.

"Oh Harley girl, are you alright?" The monster asked her as she gazed down at the floor at Batman as he tried to pick himself up off the ground.

"Burn..." She hissed in a dark tone that made him smile as he picked her head up by the chin with the tip of his claw.

"Now why would you ever say that to the man who set you free? Why would you say that to the man who took so many chances for you?" He said in a whisper as his distorted face drew closer to Harley's. "Why would you try to kill the man you love and the man who loves you?"

Harley fought back against Harleen's control with as much energy as she could until finally letting out a loud scream, "LIAR!" Harleen screamed as one of the restrains broke, freeing her hand, and ripping her nails across his piercing TITAN infused eyes and blinding him.

The Joker let out a howl and stumbled backwards toward the center of the arena with his massive hands covering his eyes from the sheering pain in his eyes. "You HARLOT!" He yelled as removed his hands to see Harley freeing her final hand from the braces and jumping down into the arena to aid Batman.

"Going to save the big bad bat eh? LETS SEE ABOUT THAT!" Joker chuckled as her flailed out his claws and leaped forward to shred Harley and Batman into ribbons. His body was completely off the ground as he pounced toward Harley and Batman with his back turned to the night sky and his jaws wide open as he laughed maniacally toward his enemies.

A sudden and painful strike from above to his back at high speeds sent him crashing through the floor of the arena and back into the cell block below. The massive fall rattled the Joker's head as he picked his massive body off the floor to see a figure clad in a long OD Green trench coat with armored plating over the shoulders and chest, A Stalhelm helmet with full face gas mask attached to a single hose leading to his back, upgraded Deadshot style targeting system over the right eye, combat loading with two holsters holding a long barreled .45-70 BFR revolvers each along with hand grenades and ammo, and heavy steel toed Jackboots. A pack of some kind with electrodes and a filtration system sat on his back with strange bolts of green and blue energy running through shallow wires and into his back let off a glow that instantly drew the Joker's attention as he regained his barrings and began to chuckle at the figure in front of him.

"Ho-Ho-Ho! Look what we got here! How ya doin fritzy? Are you-" The Joker was cut out of his witty banter as the figure drew his Desert Eagles, destroying each claw on the Joker's hands before leaping forward to tackle the Joker into the wall and beating him down. Every punch burned with energy and contempt, almost like a high powered batman beat down, but instead of laughter the Joker hissed and finally threw the figure off of him like a tick.

"What ever happen to the good old days of witty banter?" Joker asked sarcastically as he gazed at his broken nails with a hint of insult in his tone. "Well I know how to deal with rude ruffians like you! OH BOYS!"

From the cat walks loomed the barrels of over twenty assault rifles in the hands of Blackgate thugs as they poured out of the cells ready and willing to pull the trigger. The figure watched the thugs through the mask and only stared at them intensely as the Joker called from the back of the cell block, "GET'EM!"

The figure dropped to his knee and covered his mask as a hailstorm of bullets rained upon him from above. Bullets hurdled down from the catwalks pummeling his body, his armor, and the concrete around him until a cloud of sparks and dust filled the air below the cat walks. The thugs held their fingers on the trigger until emptying their guns on the figure below. Once they finished they propped their guns on their shoulders triumphantly as they looked over to see their monstrous boss crawling back up to the roof to finish off Batman and Harley with an insidious chuckle.

But as the cloud dissipated into the sky above the goons and the Joker received a rude awakening as not only did the strange figure actual SURVIVE the whirlwind of bullets, but another figure appeared behind him! The second figure's strange uniform was the same as the other's, but in all black with a dark red collar under the coat with black collar tabs baring Death's head skulls, a Algiz 'Life' Rune medal around his neck held by a neck order ribbon of black, white, and yellow, a more intimidating gas mask with dual hoses protruding out toward his back, a black peaked cap with red piping with another silver death's head in the center, two black and chrome long barreled Desert Eagle pistols clutched firmly in his gloved hands, and a smaller Deadshot style targeting system built into the mask.

The two figures rose to their feet, back to back in tandem, with guns drawn like two phoenixes rising from the ashes of death to rain fire upon their enemies for retribution.

"Dear brother," The green figure said to his 'Brother' in black in a dark and modulated tone through his gas mask. "Shall we strike the blind with sight?"

His brother locked the hammers back on his guns and with a heavy tone cast judgement, "No, dear brother, today we are the Shepard. Today we bring the herd back to the farmer..."

The first shot in tandem with another sending sparks of light from the muzzles of their sidearms into the darkness of the cell block, lighting up the block as the muzzle flashes reflected off the blood on the wall from the dead thugs as high powered .44 and .45-70 rounds ripped apart their bodies into hamburger meat. The heavy guns fired until finally the blood of the hoard rained down from the catwalks and pooling into crimson lakes of death.

All silence fell over the cell block, only broken by the dripping blood as hit the concert. The iron smell of blood in the air mixed together with sweat, adrenaline, and gun powder. Smoke poured out of the chrome lined barrels of the sidearms until the two unloaded their empty shells and magazines. The clink clack of empty brass casing and empty magazines hitting the concrete broke the silence of the cell block as the brothers quickly and methodically loaded their guns to finish off the clown prince of crime.

Diesel, the figure in green, flanked his brother, Hans, as the two stair into the light of the flood lights coming from the choppers circling over head as the shadows of Batman, Joker, and Harley Quinn fought a pitched battle with the monstrous Joker.

"The plan dear brother?" Diesel asks his brother Hans.

"Simple," Hans says turning to his brother and briefly removing his mask to light a cigarette, Revealing a handsome green eyed man under the striking armor. "We end this..."

With that he put away his loaded guns and returned his mask to his face, "No guns Brother. Today we fight like the Batman. Today we get paid..."

Hans jumped into the air along with his brother to engage the Joker and end the horror once and for all in Gotham city, not for the people of Gotham but for their benefactor, a one named Strange.

* * *

_**Meanwhile-**_

Batman and Harley fought together, back to back, against the TITAN fueled Joker and the remaining thugs as he gloated from above to the sight of the news choppers to a terror filled Gotham city. The calculated and hard pressed fighting style of Batman clashed with the chaotic and random thrashing of Harley Quinn as they tried to hold off the relentless tide of Blackgate thugs and gag based weaponry that the Joker threw at them. Batman couldn't help by recognize the fighting style of Quinn that her Boyfriend, or ex or whatever, taught her. Chaotic, random, and full of luck. It was a sharp contrast to his trained blows, but seemed to flow beautifully with his own movements. Quinn was tough, he could give her that, and fanatical. Holding her own in a fight wasn't something he had to worry about but he saw potential in her, Something the Joker never saw or cared to see in her.

Harley on the other hand couldn't help but feel a little out classed by the bat and fought even harder in a attempt to show off to the Joker that she was tough as the bat, while Harleen only cared about surviving. The two Harley's came together under a common goal for once and both worked together to live through this hellish night. Though they may have fought each other the whole night, they came together under one unifying goal: To escape the Joker. Through this goal, the two learned that they both shared a common liking for the Big bad bat and that the bat cared for the cooky clown girl.

But soon the Bat learned of her secret, her deepest secret...

She loved him... She loved him, or rather Harleen Quinzel loved him while Harley Quinn saw him a place of refuge from the Joker's abuse. But even the rather daft and naive Quinn could see some of Batman's advances, as well as taste the sweetness of his mouth as their tongues danced between each other as they locked lips in the cold and dank isolation ward. To say 'I love you' to the Dark Knight was something that the Harlequin never imagined herself saying let alone having him to say it back to her. Yeah she was only working with him to get out of this dead end life, but could their be more to it? Does she really love Batman, or was she just lost in her feelings, her loneliness, and the moment?

Suddenly four thugs in front of her fell instantly to the ground in a whirlwind of blood as a dark figure in black let out furious attack followed by another figure in dark green.

"Diesel!" She cried out as Diesel and the other figure broke off from one another to attack the remaining thugs.

"Go! Get him now while he's showing off!" The figure in black called to them as he broke the neck of a thug. "We'll get the interlopers! Go now!"

Batman and Harley looked at one another as they finished off two more thugs and looked up at the Joker.

"On three Harley!" Batman told her as he sprayed his fist with explosive gel.

Harley nodded and looked down to see a dud gag bomb near some thugs. "I got an idea bats!" She said as she rushed to pick up the gag toy bomb, winding it up and taking it by it's feet before tossing it at the Joker's feet.

The gag exploded, throwing the Joker off of his platform and back to the remaining parts of the arena, sticking what remained of his claws into the wood and trapping him there. With in moments Batman charged forward and delivered the final blow to the Joker...

Ending this hellish night with one last blow to the clown prince of crime...

* * *

_**Hours later- **_

Between the GCPD, the Arkham guards, and ColdWater Mercenaries, Arkham island was successfully retaken and the riot/take over was finally crushed after hours of fighting the remaining thugs, lunatics, and the remaining monstrosities created by Poison Ivy's TITAN fueled rampage. Though their we're losses, the force of over 140 men and women of the police, Coldwater, and Arkham security pressed on.

The remaining Lunatics were returned to their cells, The thugs were held in special holding area's with in the cell block, Joker and Ivy were returned to their cells as well (Albeit in bad condition due to the TITAN process taking a slightly negative effect on their bodies.), Croc was locked back into the sewers, and search parties sent to search for Bane and Scarecrow. Hans and Diesel took the time to return to their comrades in cell access area to debrief them on the events that transpired on the roof. The brothers removed their masks revealing a dark headed Hans and a blonde headed Diesel to a rather surprised and weary 9th Company made out of the reaming Sean, Jean, and Allen.

"Why dont'cha look at that? A couple of Jerries!" Sean chuckled at the Brothers and their ultra Germanic appearance.

"_Ja Ja, _Whatever you say you crazy Irish fucker." Diesel chuckled to Sean in a funny manor. "What the hell happen to Johann and Edward?"

The trio didn't say a word, or at least Sean didn't as he directed them to the door. "It's a long bloody tail mate." He told them as they walked out of the Penitentiary and into the light of spots light from helicopters and the rushing of police into the building.

"True that _bru." _Allen replied with relief.

"Where do you think High command is going to send us next?" Astor asked them.

"Don't really care right now, Froggy." Sean replied as stretched his arms over his head. "Right now I'm _N.A.A.F.I."_

"Whats that?" Diesel asked as Allen, Sean, Hans, and Astor chuckled.

As if on cue all four men shouted, "NO AMBITION AND FUCK ALL INTEREST!" They all chuckled, a sign of high hopes and a job well done.

Their job was done and now it was time to get some rest. God knows the 9th Company needed it after this night...

Batman and Harley, on the other hand, managed to free Gordon from his chair and returned him back to the safe hands of the GCPD. Albeit in worse condition due to the beatings by Harley, the Joker, and the Joker's men. He demanded that Batman was to be the one to escort him back to his men. After the hell Harley and her 'Boyfriend' put him through its a wonder that he hadn't shot her on sight by now. But Harley didn't care...

Everything...

The lying, the beatings, the violence, the hate, the fear, all of it was finally over...

A few minutes after Batman returned Gordon to the GCPD the former enemies stood staring into each others eyes as the sun slowly began to break through the heavy clouds to the east. Dawn was approaching on a new day, not another dread and poverty filled day laid ahead for Harley this time. Today, for the first time in over five years, Harley held her head height and genuine joy filled her heart as she stood in front of Dark Knight with a confident smile.

"How did it go bats?" She asked the Dark Knight as the dawn rose around the Dark Knight.

"Gordon says you have to go through a series of psychological tests and maybe a slim amount of time for your hand in the take over." Batman told her as a slight smile began to form on his face. "But I think I might be able to fix that with bits and pieces of the tape you made for me."

"No please!" Harley said worryingly with a sigh, "They might just- Ugh, just cut out the bits I said about you, Ok batsy?" She let out another long sigh until a smile came on her face as she looked into the Bats eyes with a heart full of thanks and love. It seemed that with in one night, Harley and Harleen manged to make peace with one another for the first time every. Maybe it was coming clean to her feelings, maybe it was coming clean to reality, or maybe it was just shear luck that her feelings and mind final clicked together for once in her life as Harley Quinn. But one thing for sure was that her heart was in the right place and that now with this life slowly coming to a halt and a new one on the horizon, Maybe Harleen could find a nice fella to help her through this period of transition.

Bruce was more than thrilled to final bring his Harlequin out of the darkness and into the light. God knows it's been five long years since he saw his Harlequin before she became the Harlequin of discourse and chaos.

"It's a promise." Batman said, to which Harley rapped herself around him and gave him long kiss as a thank you for all that he has done for her.

The sun's orange light shattered the darkness and sorrow that was Arkham Island bringing about a new chapter in the lives of the many and far in between.

Today was truly a brand new day for all on Arkham Island...

* * *

_**Authors Notes: Batman stopped Harley from shooting Batman and the Joker shot him with the TITAN gun just like in Arkham Asylum, leading to the events in game. I didn't write it because it was kind of obvious that I would follow canon.**_


	12. Epilogue

_**Epilogue for Part 1, Thank you all for reading this story and just wait for Part 2! **_

_**With Love ~Dresner**_

* * *

_**Four months after the Take over of Arkham Asylum-**_

Harley sat in her cell in her prison orange get up and socks fiddling with her pigtails awaiting a visitor. He visited her once ever month and she always made sure to be awake when he would come to see her. She would fix her oranges to show just enough skin to arouse her bat, fluff her pony tails, and even applied a little home made make up to bring out her blue eyes even more than usual. But this time she wanted to talk to him about something rather serious for once, maybe after a little one on one with her bat.

A knock on the door signaled to Harley that he was here. "Coming Froggy!" She said with a cheery tone as she put on a pair of shoes.

"_Madame Quinzel, Batman est ici pour vous (Madam Quinzel Batman is here for you.)" _Astor told her in a kind voice as he open the door to let her out. Astor only wore his sidearm around Harley ever since they began talking to one another about their former professions as Doctors and began to bond as friends. She needed one since Ivy was suffering from TITAN poisoning from the Joker's take over four months ago. Things looked grim for Ivy, but she was pulling through as usual. She joined Astor in the hall way with a spring in her step and a song in her heart as she skipped merrily next to him as they walked down the hallways toward a special visiting room where Harley and Batman would meet. The sound of Joker's laughter echoed through out Arkham once more, albeit with less vigor than usual since his incarceration in extreme isolation. But his voice could still be heard through out Arkham through the walls and ventilation systems. She, or rather Harley, was worried about him more and more. Seeing Batman pleased Harleen, but only gave some form of happiness to Harley. Sure she still wrote on the walls "J love H" or "Mista J &amp; Harley Q 4 ever" on the walls, but her affair with Batman was a closely guarded secret between her, Astor, and Batman.

But even though she saw her bat and one some occasions her 'Puddin', Harley couldn't help but worry for him. "But as long as I can hear you laugh, I know your okay." Harley would tell herself as she laid her head against the cold concrete wall at night listening to his laughter. Harleen would then turned her head toward the small window above and look into the night sky telling herself, "But as long as I know your protecting me from him, I know you'll be there for me." as she thought of Batman.

The two Harley's were still divided, but they both couldn't help but feel relieved that with in two months they would be released from Arkham and on to a new life... It all seemed so surreal to her that their was a possibility of going back to a normal life. To returned to being Harleen instead of Harley all the time, that there would be no more harsh living, and that her future was bright for her once again... But deep down she felt like a real heal. She came out on top for once, a light sentence with only a few psychiatric tests separating her from her lover and a new life. Why did she feel this way?

"How's my Joker?" Harley asks Astor out of the blue with a sigh as she listened to his chuckles fading away as she walked on.

Astor shrugged and beat around the bush a little before telling her the news, "He's dying Harleen. The TITAN is killing him."

"What?" She asked in shock and disbelief.

"I don't know really. From what the doctors have said, the large amount of TITAN in his body is eating away at his body like the common termite eating away at a home." Astor explained as they neared the special visiting room. "He doesn't have long, not long at all."

Harley's make up began to run as small tears began to drip from her eyes, "How... How long does Mister J have to live?"

Astor only shrugged his shoulders, "Days, months, maybe a year. I'm not sure." He told her as he put his hand on her shoulder. "But look, I know you, or Harley, or who ever still cares for him. Though it is rather wrong to love a criminal, it isn't wrong for a doctor to care for his patient."

Harley gave a confused and tear filled glare at the french mercenary as they reached the door to a private room. She looked at the door and looked at him still confused on what he meant as he open the door to an awaiting Batman.

With out a word she stepped through the door until the door shut behind her. She could see Batman wearing a new suit as it gleamed in the light of the private room. The room itself wasn't special, just a basic interrogation room retrofitted with carpet and more forgiving lightening. It wasn't the most romantic of places, but it sure was a hell of a lot better than her cell. She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked over to the Dark Knight to rap herself around him in hopes of making the pain of reality go way.

Her body was a perfect fit for the hard build Bruce Wayne, it was almost an hour glass shaped figure that seemed to compliment his stone like body. Her hair was soft and full of life just like she was, which was rather surprising considering the still morbid conditions the prisoner of Arkham Asylum were kept in even after the Joker's attempted take over only months ago. Even through he held his Harlequin in his arms, he couldn't help but sense that something was troubling her.

"Harleen," He asked in a sweet tone. "Are you ok? You seem a little upset..."

Harley picked her head up from his chest and slowly kissed him on the lips. "It's nothing honey..." She replied lightly as she buried her head back in his chest.

"Harley your not a good liar..." Batman says as he takes her head out of his chest to see her eye liner running from crying. "Whats wrong?"

"_Harley, don't tell him. Please don't screw this up again, Please!" _Harleen demanded.

"You know the frog is right," Harley told herself. "If mister J is dying then we better make the time we have left the best..."

_"But look at the last few months with the Dark Knight! He's brought us gifts, stemmed our sentence, and is show us LOVE, TRUE LOVE! Something that clown will never show us and you know that!" _Harleen shouted.

"I don't care. B-Man does love us and YOU love him, He's YOUR man, not mine. Or least that's what I think." Harley told her, fighting back the regret in her mind. "But whatever, Mister J maybe be a creep but he was the first man that made us feel alive. Yeah he ruffed us up a little now and then, but that is just his way of showing love..."

_"LOVE?!"_

"Your the fuckin doc here Harleen, not me, and if I remember correctly the frenchy is right about a doctor caring for his patient. Are you, as a doctor, gunna let a man die because you hate'em? Huh?" Harley spat back to Harleen.

Harleen was surprised by Harley's quickness and conviction. She loved the Joker, even though Batman showed her what real love was. She really did care for that clown, or at least pitted him. While Harleen cared for and loved Batman. But what made the whole idea even more strange was that their reasons for loving the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime were one in the same-

Both of them harbor a dark past...

She could see it in their eyes, The dark and stoic brown of Batman and the cheery and sadistic green of the Joker, told the same story of two men who fate decided to thrown into the dirt and rip their hearts out. Yet they seemed to build themselves back up.

Both these men, these enemies, need someone to be their confidant, their friend, their lover...

She couldn't hold it in anymore and Harleen couldn't shut her down no matter how hard she tried to stop her darker alter-ego.

"J is dying B-man..." She said in her thick Brooklyn drawl as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Batman asks her, letting off slight signs of concern.

"From what Froggy told me, Ya." Harley said unsure of what the Frenchman told her. "I don't want him to die Batsy, I don't... Even if we're together."

Harley took Batman's hands in her own and looked into his eyes, "When I was in medical school I was taught that a good doctor never let a man die, no matter who her was. I can't watch him die, just as much as you couldn't stand seeing him hurt me."

She spoke with such purity, such grace, such truth. He was impressed at how far she had come in such little time in just that moment, she cared for the life of another, even if it was the Joker's life. He couldn't help but feel proud for Harley's progress, but the looming death of the Joker sent a chill down the Dark Knight's spine.

"Does this mean-"

"No," Harley responded. "I still love you Batsy and so does Harley to a point. But I can't let him die, my heart couldn't take it." Her voice became fearful, yet still truthful as her grip became tighter on Batman's hands.

"I understand." Batman said in his stoic gruff as he let go of her hands letting them drop to her side.

"You know you would save him too." Harley told him firmly as Batman slowly began to walk to the door, but she persisted and put her hand on his shoulder. "You know you would..."

Batman only gave a sigh as he turned around to face his Harliquin. He didn't say a word as he gave her one last kiss on the lips and walked out of the room, back into the cold shadows that he called home.

Leaving Harley wondering, did she do the right thing?

Batman entered the Batmobile with a heart full of heart break. As soon as the door closed he removed his cowl and ran his hands through his thick black hair as he wondered why. Why did Harley go back to him, that abusive clown. Why? He slammed his fists against the console and shouted at the top of his lungs "WHY?!"

"_My name is Harleen Quinzel and this is my story, It's time you heard it..." _The sound of the tape player startled Batman as he soon realized he placed the player in his console. But he didn't turn it off as the sound of a tired and regretful Harleen spoke of her past.

_"I'm a Brooklyn girl, I guess you figured out that one pretty quick eh bats? My mom and dad weren't really around much when I was growing up, Divorce coupled together with a resentful mother and kind heartened father never really mixed well together, neither did growing up poor. But growing up poor made you grow up quick and so did working three jobs at age 15 to help out papa with rent and groceries. It made me want a better life for myself and maybe make my Dad proud as well. Then he died at the end of Freshman year of High school. I was heart broken, even more when I had to look at him in the casket as they put him in the ground..." _

A brief pause filled the car until a faint sound of sobbing caught his attention as she began again.

"_After Papa died I went to live with my mother. She wasn't the best of people, always lying and cheating her way out of everything, always yelling at me and blaming me for her faults. I was abused by her every day I came home for the smallest of things... But I always kept my chin up... I always tried to smile... But it just became to much and I ran away to Gotham. I worked my ass off for two years and won enough awards for gymnastics to put myself through collage where I became a Doctor. Two years Bats, Two years... In two years I went from rock bottom to wearing a cap and gown for the second time in my life and holding my degree in Psychology. Crazy isn't it? Bet cha ya didn't know this blonde bimbo had enough smarts and conviction to do all that in such small time eh? *Giggle* Then I went to intern for Hugo Strange in Blackgate..."_

_"But you know the rest... Everyone in Arkham knows it..."_

_"Before all that, before Harley Quinn, Before Joker, and before Blackgate I took a night off to the Iceberg Lounge to unwind after another 'Wonderful' session with that freak Calender Man. Vodka tonic was my favorite drink and god knows how badly I needed one that night. I sat back in a booth alone and listen to the band and Penguins lovely rantings about class and money until some guy offered to buy me another tonic. He was a kind man, very swav and all that jazz, but he wasn't rude or trying anything on me. We sat together, listened to the band, laughed at Cobblepot, and just enjoying the night together. His name was Bruce Wayne, at the time I didn't know he was some billionaire playboy, but even if I did know it wouldn't have mattered. Bruce was a sweet guy with a good heart and didn't try anything on me, but tried on him *Naughty giggle*. Time seemed to pass away as we just enjoyed our time together, then I made the first move and kissed him. One peck turned into a kiss and... Well you know... The next morning I found myself alone in my bed without anyone their to cuddle with. He just disappeared... I saw him later on TV and soon it hit me, I slept with a playboy, boy did that make me feel like a piece of shit. The next couple of days were just so much shit that I diagnosed myself with depression. Then the Joker came and played on my mind, now here we are. But I bet your wondering what all of this has to do with you? You remember when you saved me from Blackgate five years ago? That was when I noticed something... I noticed your eyes, those deep brown eyes that you hide cowl. Their's a saying that everyone's eyes tell a story and yours told me a story that brought out the very best and worst of me... At the time I saw you as some hero complex bully and others as a lost soul looking for a cause. But you know, tonight changed all that... Tonight made me wonder, what made you the way you are B-man? What made you you? Was it tragedy like Joker? Or was it circumstance? Whatever it was Bats I want to say that I'm here for you. That you too have someone who cares for you. I love you Batman, not because you need some help, but because you chose to help me. You chose to help me so I won't go any farther than Mister J. Maybe you'll get this tape and listen to it, maybe Mister J will finally put a bullet in me if he finds it, or maybe it will sit in Arkham gathering dust like my office. Whatever happens Bats, I want you to know I love you... And I always will..."  
_

The tape ended leaving Batman with a semi mended heart as he started the Batmobile. He placed the cowl back over his face and took one long breath before speeding away into the darkness. But he couldn't help but wonder, Did he make the right choice that night, Leaving her to save Gotham from another criminal? Should he had just until the dawn would she still have become Harley Quinn? Could he have saved her from herself?

**_To be continued..._**


End file.
